Vadam's Retribution
by DragonFelicis
Summary: The final installment in the Vadam in Harry Potter quartet. Vadam has lived in fear for so long. He has run for so long. He has feared the ancient dragon for so long. Now, Vadam is not running. The dragon has caused him so much pain, there is no room for fear. Now, Vadam is coming. Coming for retribution.
1. Manalith Broken

**Hello… alright right to business. This is Vadam's Retribution; it is the final of the Vadam in Harry Potter quartet. This story will only have five chapters, no prologue and an epilogue. It shouldn't take me too long to finish this story; I already have all the chapters mapped out in my head.**

 **Alright, enough of me blabbering on.**

 _ **B/N: Hello again. Welcome to the final instalment of whatever we're calling this as a whole.**_

 ***Vadam has only hated four beings. The Firstborn, Tezzeret and, due to Nox's death, Bolas and due to Elspeth's death Heliod***

* * *

Vadam Planeswalked from the world of Theros, and plane hopped until he found Earth. As he drifted towards where he remembered Earth to be Vadam sensed out. He was almost dismayed to sense Earth, shining brightly in the Blind Eternities.

Vadam shot himself towards a mass of Blue mana swirling around Earth and crashed into the Plane.

There was the low sound of waves crashing, swirling and drawing back into the ocean. Vadam didn't hear any of that as he appeared with his body halfway into the sand.

His legs thumped a bit as he struggled to get out of the sand, most of the time he would have taken his time and not panicked but Vadam was still getting used to the need to breathe. He pulled his head from the sand and took great gasps of air "Bloody… Planeswalking," Vadam still didn't understand why stuff like that happened to him and was coming to the dreaded realisation that his injuries could become more deadly than irritating.

He also found the sand more irritating then he had in a long time. Appearing in the sand had it go into his hair, his ears, his shirt and everywhere else.

"Argh!" He tried shaking it out of his system but some of the sand was damp and stuck to him. Taking a few calming breaths Vadam tried to bury the feeling, unfortunately now that his body lived he couldn't control his nerve endings.

Vadam suppressed another yell of frustration and instead become stalking off across the sand dunes, he was more irritated as slight flicks of sand began getting into his shoes. Vadam was appreciative of Earth's useful socks as they prevented most of the sand in his shoes from bothering him.

He walked along the crashing waves for some time, at one point he was certain that something very magical was near. He stopped and looked around _"Yes… there is something around here,"_ Vadam looked around for a few moments.

He looked towards a line of sand that seemed oddly straight; he walked over and felt around. Still nothing. Vadam walked across the line and gave a slight start. It felt like he had just taken a giant leap.

Turning around he stared at the line and glared.

Vadam took a breath and prepared to absorb a heap of Blue mana.

Nothing happened.

Vadam furrowed his brow as he considered that " _This… I can feel the mana but I can't absorb it…"_ A horrible feeling was settling deep in his gut as he feared what he already knew.

During his time under Bolas Vadam learned many things, chiefly because Bolas possessed a library filled with tomes under every possible subject. Vadam had spent any time he wasn't following Bolas' orders within that library.

He didn't smile as he thought of the first time he actually felt happy. Surrounded by those books and learning what he wanted.

Vadam knew that Bolas possessed an ancient form of magic that he was unable to find any ways to learn it. Vadam knew that Bolas had destroyed all knowledge on how to learn it. He possessed the magic to solidify mana into a single point, with this solid point of mana, or Manalith, the controller of it could circumvent all mana in the area to them.

The Obelisks of Alara were such devices tempered after thousands of years with uncountable numbers of mages putting their own work to them.

Vadam had feared that Bolas had done such a thing. On a normal Plane a Manalith could cause issues when fighting someone who controlled one. For a Plane that had gone for so long without anyone using any mana… Vadam knew that the mana of Earth was rich and so repressed that a Manalith would give so much mana that even Bolas wouldn't be able to use it all.

Vadam could sense mana everywhere.

He couldn't draw it in.

He could sense something hidden.

Vadam glared at the innocent looking line of sand.

Vadam could feel something familiar surrounding him that wasn't mana " _Animancy!"_ Vadam was certain the magic of the soul was shielding whatever was being hidden.

It had been a long time since he had really stretched his skills in Animancy; Vadam smirked slightly as he thought of the reason why he needed to learn it in the first place.

His smirk faded to a pained look as he remembered what had come out of escaping Bolas the first time. He suddenly realised the painful irony of his situation. _"When I fled Bolas the first time Nox was created. When I fled him the second time he died,"_ His eyes began tearing up as thoughts of Nox flooded his mind.

Vadam took a deep breath and pushed the memories down. He hated doing this. It seemed disrespectful to Nox's memory, but he couldn't spend his days crying over Nox when he had revenge to get.

Vadam wiped his eyes and refocused his look into another glare "Alright," Vadam pulled up some Black and White mana and tried to force control over whatever was covering the space.

He felt his magic take foot but was wowed by the sheer power surrounding the magic. Vadam's grip on the spell faded and he took a breath, and then heard someone yell "Stupefy!" His eyes snapped open but he didn't react fast enough to stop the stunning spell from striking him.

Vadam collapsed.

He was still conscious but he could still feel the disorientating effects of the stunning spell messing with his mind. A heavily scarred individual stepped out of a door that had appeared in space and had his wand trained on Vadam. "Incarcerous!" Conjured ropes wrapped around Vadam and restrained him "Ah, what?" He struggled slightly but he couldn't get free.

Vadam had the desire to teleport but the man didn't seem ready to kill him so Vadam stayed put "Who are you?" The man demanded.

Vadam considered not responding but he could see the man's bright red hair and decided to take a chance "I'm Vadam. Are you a Weasley?" Bill's eyes had widened at that "You… you're Vadam?" Vadam nodded as best he could.

Bill hesitated and a voice Vadam hadn't heard for some time spoke out "Ees it true?" Fleur stepped out and looked down at the tied up Vadam.

"You… you are that champion from the Triwizard," Fleur nodded but neither had made a motion to free him.

"Would you mind releasing me?" The couple hesitated "You disappeared several months ago with nothing but a note that Dumbledore didn't tell us what it held," Vadam sighed "Yes but I am back now. If you don't believe me, can't you contact Dumbledore and have him verify me?"

A pained look crossed Bill's face "Dumbledore is dead," Vadam blinked several times in shock "oh…" Bill looked very uncomfortable and Fleur touched his arm "I believe that I can verify him," Bill nodded and Fleur took out her wand and waved it over him.

A green light flowed up and Fleur nodded.

Bill went to release Vadam but hesitated and asked "How did you affect the Fidelius?" Vadam didn't know what a Fidelius was but he still said "I focused my Animancy on… the barrier but it repelled me," Bill released Vadam and he climbed to his feet.

"Well, I apologise in disturbing you but before we part may I ask you to fill me in about what has happened during my absence?" The couple looked uncomfortable but agreed.

"Well at the end of the school year Snape," Bill said the professor's name like it was the filthiest curse of them all "murdered a weakened Dumbledore," Vadam's expression became dark and he spat.

"After Dumbledore's death the wizarding world has been pulled into chaos. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named seized control of the ministry and has made it a law for people to go to Hogwarts. My brother Ron, Harry and Hermione have disappeared and people keep dying," Vadam nodded solemnly.

"Alright, thank you for filling me in…" Vadam looked uncomfortable "Have you… uh have you heard anything about a golden dragon?" Bill looked confused "Uh, dragons are my brother Charlie's specialty," Vadam nodded "Never mind…"

The three stood around slightly awkwardly as Vadam considered his next move "Well… I have things to do so… goodbye," Bill and Fleur seemed relieved and bade him good luck.

 **#######**

Vadam was confused about Bill and Fleur but shook it out of his head _"So Earth is in trouble… I wonder how much trouble is being caused by Bolas,_ "Vadam decided that the amount of trouble wasn't worth considering and pulled his focus back to the task at hand. Finding the Manalith and destroying it.

Vadam walked away from Bill and Fleur's house, across the sandy, annoying dunes.

Up the dunes laid sparse grass that waved slightly in the weak breeze. Vadam noticed the wind as it ruffled his hair, he shook more sand out of his hair but it was still matted down in places with annoying sand.

Vadam tried to focus on something else _"Bolas will have a guard for his Manalith's. It just has too,"_ He swallowed his nervousness and continued striding through the sand.

He walked for another few hours before seeing someone.

Vadam's guard went up astronomically and he placed a covert hand on his swords hit. Vadam lowered his head slightly and glared at the young woman. She was walking slowly across the dunes and, upon spotting Vadam, gave an excited wave "Hi!" Vadam didn't say anything and simply hoped she wasn't a guard.

His gait sped up slightly, his muscles not agreeing with the sand dunes, and kept a very careful eye on the girl "So, hello. My name's Faith, what's your name?" Vadam sighed as he was forced to answer "Vadam," he muttered as he came within danger distance.

The girl looked taken back with the mention of his name and Vadam's danger sense reached breaking point, he was carefully getting ready to kill her when she stopped and slumped down to the sand.

"Join me?" Vadam looked down at her in confusion "Uh…" she stared at him and Vadam paused "I have something important to do," she chuckled slightly "Can't stick around and talk for just a few minutes? I'm so bored," Vadam hesitated and Faith took it as acceptance.

"My family dragged me to a holiday here without anyone that I know and no one's around… ah it's just so boring," Vadam was now standing around awkwardly. He didn't trust her in any sense of the word but he still felt an odd obligation to stay. He suspected some sort of suggestion magic.

"I really have to go now," he wasn't willing to turn his back on her but he didn't want to stay around talking to her either. Faith sighed "Alright, but mind telling me why?" Vadam hesitated but answered truthfully "I'm looking for something in this area," Faith bounced to her feet "Great. Mind if I help?" Vadam shook his head and she looked greatly disappointed "Fine. What are you looking for?"

Vadam wasn't approving of all these questions but continued answering "I am looking for a great… monument-looking structure. Might be blue, might be stone coloured," He shrugged buy Faith gasped "Wait really?" Vadam's danger levels went back up to critical and he slowly began drawing his sword "I had a dream of a big stone thing not long after we arrived here," Vadam froze "yeah it even had this weird man with a big metal arm guarding it."

Vadam gaped at her slightly and she looked unsure "Uh… it was just a dream," Vadam shook his head "Where was it?" His question was more of a demand and she pointed away from the sea "It was kind of in a field…" Vadam nodded.

He knew it could be a trick.

He knew it was probably a trick.

She could be leading him away from the Manalith.

But Vadam was sure that if this girl, if she was just a girl, was an agent than she would want him to find the Manalith. It was just Bolas' style.

He gave thanks and ran off. Where she an agent then she would be warning Bolas soon and Vadam needed to find and destroy the Manalith before he arrived.

Also the guard, Tezzeret.

Faith watched him run off, staring at him oddly "Weird," she sat back down into the sand and began playing in it.

 **######**

Vadam found it pretty quickly.

As Vadam left the sand dunes he could feel the mana moving towards a point; Vadam had obeyed Bolas for six years and had learned so much because of the dragon. Vadam couldn't claim that he could expect anything for sure from the ancient Planeswalker but he could suspect that Bolas wanted him to find the Manaliths.

Vadam was relieved as the sand turned to more solid ground and his calf muscles began to feel better. He sighed as the feeling of apprehension rose in his chest. He followed the mana trail despite the suspicion that Bolas could be waiting for him.

Strangely Vadam felt his resolve harden at the thought of Bolas waiting for him. Vadam couldn't pretend to expect anything from the greatest chess master ever. He frowned as he noticed the mana suddenly cut off.

Vadam stopped and looked forward; the land ahead looked exactly how it should look. Vadam knew that this was his destination.

He could feel someone watching him and he glared forward "I am here now. Don't play games with me! Lower the barrier and let's get this over with!" Vadam shouted to the wind. For a moment nothing happened, but then a great shimmering field lowered and the space was refilled.

Space unfolded and a basin-like area filled with silver pools was revealed.

First a brilliant Lapis Lazuli stone tip came into view and further came the remainder of the monument.

Vadam glared as a smirking man came into view. He wore dark clothing and his hair matched his visage. Vadam didn't notice any of that. The man's brilliant, Ethidium arm glowed as he waited.

Tezzeret smirked as Vadam glared at him.

"Well, here I am Vadam! What are you going to do?" Vadam felt a flash of burning rage as he glared at the man responsible for his inability to understand everyday social nonsense.

Vadam began walking forward, into the bowl, staring at Tezzeret. He didn't have Neville or Luna to worry about here, he felt nothing but a desire to make him pay "I was nothing but a confused, terrified boy," Vadam began "I had no idea what had happened to me. Where I was. What I was," Vadam hated thinking about those times "you took advantage of me. You took advantage of my fear, my desperation to understand. You took me to the worst monster of them all".

Vadam stood within a metre of Tezzeret "Why?" Tezzeret's smirk didn't even waver "Why not?" Tezzeret struck.

With blinding speed Tezzeret launched his arm at Vadam, who teleported.

Vadam appeared twelve meters from the staggering Tezzeret "Oh, in the nine years since we've talked I have learned a few new tricks," Tezzeret turned to him, his smirk still hadn't faded "Me too," Vadam went to teleport but nothing happened.

Tezzeret used his momentary shock to his advantage and with unnatural speed sprinted at Vadam. His arm had melded into the deadly blade of a mageslayer, a blade that is deadlier to those with more mana in their bodies.

Vadam threw up a shield.

Tezzeret slammed into Vadam's shield and Vadam staggered back and fell back. His shield was still standing but his feet were stuck in something and Tezzeret laughed "Do you think I don't know about your abilities? I planned for such a problem with what is trapping your feet," Vadam looked down and realised his feet were stuck on some sort of flat metal disk "That not only is magically entrapping but any magic you attempt is redirected straight at it. In a word this shield is very impressive."

Vadam had a quick plan to attempt, it was very risky.

As Tezzeret brought his arm down to slam Vadam's shield he twisted his legs up and released the shield. Tezzeret's momentum caused him to dig his weapon into the disk, breaking it in half.

Vadam was relieved that the disk was strong enough to stop most of the force from Tezzeret's arm. Vadam was momentarily impressed by how strong the disk was. The shockwave from the impact felt like he had slammed a giant slap of stone into his feet.

Tezzeret staggered as Vadam twisted, he kicked at Tezzeret's shin and the metal plate covering it dealt more pain than his mere foot.

He got to his feet as Tezzeret fell, it felt very weird to stand on metal plates attached to his feet but he got over it. The greater problem was that it was still inhibiting his magic.

Vadam drew his sword and faced Tezzeret as he picked himself back up "Heh impressive," Continuing his unnatural speed Tezzeret came at him, Vadam blocked the mageslayer but the weight knocked him back. Being that he had flat plates on his feet Vadam was knocked over.

Tezzeret stabbed down but Vadam twisted out of the way, Vadam dug his swords' blade into Tezzeret's leg, cutting down to bone.

Tezzeret roared in pain and kicked Vadam in the chest with his other leg, but he staggered now that his weight was on his injured leg. Vadam was knocked back with a gasp of pain and got to his feet before Tezzeret recovered.

Instead of attacking Vadam backed off. The fight was feeling rather one sided _"This is a first,"_ Vadam disliked the feeling of being on the other side of the fight.

Tezzeret had expected Vadam backing off and raised his arms "Rise!" Vadam felt his heart thumping harder and harder, it had been a long time since he had felt the rush of battle like this. He didn't really like it.

With Tezzeret's arms came a flow of Blue mana, Vadam watched as the pools of silver began lurching and from them came metal beings.

Vadam couldn't quite tell what Tezzeret was creating exactly but he didn't particularly enjoy watching as Tezzeret multiplied the number of enemies by a lot.

Vadam couldn't quite count the amount of artefact creatures Tezzeret spawned but he wasn't going to waste time with it "Crap!" Tezzeret smirked at him "Like the odds now, Vadam?"

Vadam began running backwards.

He couldn't possibly turn around and run or the things would descend upon his turned back. So Vadam ran backwards.

Tezzeret laughed and pointed at him, as one the artefact creatures moved and Vadam began to panic. His abilities have always worked effectively on everything bar machine creatures and even now he didn't even have any of his abilities.

All he had was his death-forged sword, metal inhibiter-plates on his feet and his wits.

Five flying creatures flew over him and warded off the exit.

Vadam stopped and turned slightly to watch them, they weren't approaching, simply stopping him from fleeing. Vadam looked forward and watched as a smirking Tezzeret stood behind the charging thopters.

Vadam was trapped between all sorts of mechanical death with plates of more metal stuck to hit shoes _"Wait…"_ Vadam looked down to his feet in shock before kicking his shoes off. With the shoes went the accused metal withholding his magic.

Vadam almost hit himself in the sheer ridiculousness of his near-defeat. With his shoes off, Vadam could feel the mana surging through his body once more. He looked to Tezzeret with a smirk "Death Wave!" He held out both hands and pumped almost all his Black mana into the spell, rounding it off with the other colours.

Magic often works in odd ways, whilst all Planes use mana similarly there are always small differences. The deadly Innistradian spell slammed into the approaching thopters. Some spells work differently against Aetherborn creatures than true beings. Spawned artefact creatures are sort of a mixture between the two.

Tezzeret created them from liquid metal but he also created them with magic, a true thopter wouldn't be affected by any death magic. A Death Wave spell, however, affected the Aetherborn thopters as they were not true thopters.

Tezzeret staggered as the wave disintegrated most of his thopter army. He threw a counter spell at the wave and it shuddered for a moment before dissipating.

Vadam sprinted through the dissipating wave. As he ran, he covered his body with an Ethereal Armour. The glowing barrier protected his feet and shielded him from the liquefying metal.

Vadam burst from the cloud and sprinted at Tezzeret, the opposing Planeswalker lifted his Etherium arm to deflect Vadam slack. The clang of magical metal on magical metal ran out through the wreckage of the battlefield as Vadam and Tezzeret parried back and force, sword slamming onto mageslayer and mageslayer crashing against sword.

Both were relentless. As Vadam's slash was blocked he blasted Tezzeret with a Death Wind. In response, Tezzeret levitated a block of metal and slammed it against his back.

Vadam's Ethereal Armour stopped most of the blow and Tezzeret's sheer magical resistance led the Death Wind to do little damage.

The battle continued in such a fashion.

One of the walkers would do a tricky move and the other would retaliate.

The tip of Vadam's sword cut across Tezzeret's face and Vadam punched him in the back of the neck with a Shadow Slice. Tezzeret resisted most of the blade and spun around to deliver a brutal punch to Vadam's gut before punching him across the face with his normal fist.

Vadam teleported them both high into the air. He flew and Tezzeret called the Ornithopters to catch him. The battle continued in the air until Vadam sacrificed his flight to bring Tezzeret down with him.

After gasping a bit from the harsh entry, they went back to flinging spells and deflecting spells, punching and slashing, stabbing and blocking, disintegrating and kicking, and laughing and screaming.

Vadam and Tezzeret were both panting soon enough "Hah, hah, had enough old man?" Tezzeret scoffed "Ha! You are clearly worse off than I am," Vadam cleaved his sword at Tezzeret's neck and Tezzeret slashed back against his sword with his deadly arm. Tezzeret also levitated a sharp piece of shrapnel and sent it flying at Vadam head. He sensed Tezzeret's trickery and they both ducked. It flew and slammed into the Manalith and Vadam could feel a tiny amount of Blue loosened.

They held each other for a short moment, Vadam's arms were trembling with the effort it took to hold Tezzeret's powerful arm back. They were almost nose to nose at this point and Vadam knew he had to make his move now.

He dropped his hold on his sword and ducked. Tezzeret's arm flew over his head as Vadam kneed the man in the gut. Tezzeret almost wretched but withheld it. To no point as Vadam took advantage of his flinching figure and brought his hands force.

To Vadam it felt like time had slowed down, his hands touched Tezzeret's head as he cast his spell with all the Blue mana he could now use "TRAUMATISE!" One of the deadliest Blue mental attack spells he knew tore into Tezzeret's mind. He screamed as Vadam's spell scrambled his thoughts and left him with nothing but pain.

To Tezzeret it seemed like forever but for Vadam he merely screamed for a few seconds, jerked and then collapsed.

He staggered, stepping on Tezzeret's body, before righting himself. He stepped off the uneven surface of Tezzeret and stared down at his foe "Monster," he spat on Tezzeret before turning to the Manalith. He decided he would destroy the object and Tezzeret in a wide area-of-effect spell, to conserve energy.

He had barely made it three steps when a mageslayer sprouted from his chest.

Vadam's eyes widened in shock, and then closed in pain as the deadly weapon stabbed through his chest. "AHA!" Tezzeret pulled it back out with a flourish and Vadam staggered forward before dropping to his knees.

"Ah, ah, aha," Vadam turned his head to see Tezzeret wagging his finger at him "You should know that you never turn you back to your enemy, until you know he is dead," Vadam was clutching the wound on both his back and his front, trying to stem the flow of blood.

He could figure that Tezzeret didn't strike anything vital but there was still a lot of blood "Of course, after destroying my feeble hosts mind what else would you do? Well, silly you but no one could expect the magnificence of MISTER JESTER!" Vadam stared at the insane person with a look of horror "You're… not… Tezzeret?" Mister Jester laughed "Oh of course not! Bolas created me when he decided that merely a piece of his soul wouldn't do it… I mean look at you, you left him and oh he was so… well I don't think heartbroken is the word as I'm not sure he doesn't have a heart."

Vadam was realising that this entity was like Nox in a way and that was causing his heart to hurt. Mister Jester began listing off all sorts of amazing things he could do now that Tezzeret was blasted away and Vadam began to heal himself.

Using White mana was probably the only advantage of him no longer being a Lich and soon his wound had closed up. He didn't remove his hands lest his new opponent realise he was alright. Mister Jester broke his own rule by turning around and shouting to the sky "LOOKOUT EARTH! MISTER JESTER IS-"

Vadam had loved Nox.

Nox was the truest reason as to why he had maintained his recovery.

Nox was the reason he stayed sane.

Mister Jester could redeem Tezzeret.

Fix him and free him from the shadow of all the pain and horror he had caused and witnessed.

Vadam destroyed Mister Jester.

"Mind's End!" His softly spoken words of the deadliest mental attack that he knew existed. Whereas Traumatise tore apart and broke the mind Minds End simply destroyed it.

People could recover from a Traumatise.

Nothing could truly recover from a successful Minds End.

"You don't deserve happiness."

Vadam watched as all hope for recovery was wiped from Tezzeret.

The living body hit the ground with a thud and Vadam kept a careful eye on it as he walked to the Manalith, _"I won't kill Tezzeret here. Such a fate is far, far better than the suffering he goes under Bolas,"_ It was the best type of revenge, a fate worse than the release of death.

Battered, bruised and bleeding Vadam stood in front of the Lapis Lazuli monument; he admired the ancient magic's that he probably would never learn for a pleasant moment. He stabbed into the magical Manalith monument with the sword gifted by the death born of dreams.

The Manalith seemed to shudder for a moment before a huge crack began running up its form, Vadam left his sword where it was and backed off, he could feel Blue mana began pouring from the Manalith for a moment before the artefact exploded. Vadam had to throw up a shield to stop the shrapnel from blitzing him.

He sighed as Blue mana flowed back into the land. He frowned when he realised that there wasn't nearly as much as he would have expected.

Despite there being enough Blue mana to charge a powerstone, Vadam knew that there still should have been more; he lowered the shield and walked forward. Sitting in the centre of a blackened circle was a tiny glowing fragment.

It reminded him of a cut diamond that people on Earth sometimes decorated cards with, he could sense mana to an almost unbelievable level contained in it.

Vadam picked up the object and felt its spherical surface, the top and bottom would be very sharp but the remainder of it was smooth. He tried to tap into its mana but found that he couldn't, he frowned and opened his pocket Plane. Vadam placed the Lapis Lazuli coloured stone into it and closed the pocket Plane.

Safely stowed away the mana connection was cut off; it still seemed to be connected to the land in some way as Vadam couldn't sense all that mana return but it didn't really matter, he had defeated Tezzeret and destroyed the Blue Manalith.

A job well done and Bolas didn't seem to be in sight. Vadam ran off hoping to flee the area before Bolas noticed.

As he was wondering he wondered about that girl Faith _"Maybe she was innocent and happened to dream of Tezzeret… weird,"_ Regardless of the truth Vadam had done it so he simply continued running.

 **######**

A fair distance away Faith had been thinking _"It would be weird if I told him that he was in the dream too,"_ Faith shook her head _"You're being crazy. It was just a coincidence and maybe it didn't happen and you just wish it happened so something interesting would happen on this boring trip,"_ Shaking her concerns off she run a pile of sand through her fingers.

She heard, or maybe felt, a pulse like an earthquake.

Nothing but an indent in the sand and a few flakes still falling to the ground remained.

* * *

 **Ooohh. I wonder who this Faith might be. Well since this is in the crossover section you may have a good idea as to who… well as good of an idea as you can with all this little information. Anyway yes any of you who have read the Bane of the Dominarian Ten Blah, blah can finally understand how a story that clearly has absolutely no ties whatsoever to the Harry Potter Earth is in this section… I know that it technically still shouldn't be in this section but Jono101 won't listen.**

 _ **B/N: Wow, adding another Beta Note. Kinda weird. On the topic of the Bane of the Dominarian Ten, it would be useful to you to know the backstories of the characters and other fun stuff like that. Plus they're cool stories.**_

 **Also I want to give kudos to Secret of Mana, the fight scene was partially based off of that… also a hilarious story.**


	2. Second Destroyed

**Okay hello… I always begin these notes in the same way and I will probably continue doing it that way. Originally this chapter was going to have Sarkhan Vol being the enemy but now that the Tarkir block has appeared I've decided that he wouldn't be here at this point.**

 ***Vadam didn't know Sarkhan very well***

* * *

Vadam had fled further into the fields. He decided that Blue was finished with and there would be no point sticking around in the area.

Vadam had walked a few meters over sharp pieces of stone before realising he wasn't wearing shoes, and his feet now hurt. _"Oh dammit,"_ Vadam silently called up an Ethereal Armour and shielded his feet from the sharp sticks and stones.

With the armour covering his feet Vadam walked on.

 **######**

Vadam simply wandered for days, he was certain that he could have found the Manalith by now had he not been restricted by the needs of food, water and sleep.

Vadam was finding it a great hassle to submit to the needs of the living _"Ugh being undead was so much easier,"_ Finding food was annoying _"These better not be poison,"_ Water wasn't the hardest to find, dehydration was the real bother _"Ugh thirst,"_ but out of the three, sleep was the greatest bother.

Vadam had gone nine years with only feeling the urge to sleep every few weeks and even then he still didn't have to sleep. His body was reeling from being thrust back into life after nine years of being undead and it was not dealing with it well. Vadam walked for hours without rest until he simply collapsed, slept and then forced himself back up and continued walking.

It wasn't really working,

Vadam was covered in dirt, sweat and trace amounts of dried blood. His eyes were bloodshot, his mouth was dry, his throat felt scratchy and his nose was running. His stomach was contracting painfully; he was starving and rather dehydrated. His head pounded with a thumping headache, his ears were blocked, more of an insanity-inducing irritation, and he was sore all over.

Overall he wasn't in a positive mood.

It took a while but Vadam was finally beginning to remember natural self-preservation tactics. He stored what food he could find in his pocket Plane, he managed to find a flask of water in his pocket Plane and found a comfortable place to sleep when night fell.

 **######**

Vadam awoke to a cry of "Incarcerous!" his eyes snapped open just as conjured ropes tied him up "Ah what?" He was getting rather tired of being tied up.

"Hahahaha," Vadam rolled his eyes at the classic evil chuckling of the enemy "Any ideas who this one is?" Several people emerged from the bushes and surrounded him. They were dressed in dark robes in various states of disarray and all wore a sleazy smirk "Now don't think you can disapperate away, we've got some anti-disapperation wards up."

One of them was leafing through a bunch of pieces of parchment, Vadam guessed they were wanted posters, before looking up to the lead guy "Nah, I'm not seeing him in here," the man's face turned sour and he swiped the posters off him and began leafing through them, muttering all the way.

"Bloody hell!" The man threw the parchments to the side and focused his wand on Vadam "Who are you?" Vadam met his glare with an impassive look "Your worst nightmare."

Vadam teleported.

The conjured ropes fell limply to the ground and the group of snatchers was still with surprise for one moment. Then Vadam stabbed the leader.

There was a spray of blood and a choked garble and the man fell.

Vadam leaped forward, pushing the body to the ground, as the others reacted. They each yelled "Avada Kadavra!" but Vadam teleported again. He had jumped into the centre of the group knowing that they would try that.

With Vadam suddenly vacant the killing curse struck most of the other snatchers, jets of green light being the last thing they saw. Vadam appeared and arched his blade at one of the remaining snatchers' neck and his head was severed from his body.

Only one snatcher remained. He backed off stuttering, "D-don't come n-near," Vadam smirked and teleported. He cut the snatchers' wand hand off and grabbed the screaming man by the neck.

He applied a Soul Grasp and the man shuddered before going limp "Now," he whispered into the crying man's ear "if you don't want to die a far worse death than your friends than you will disapperate us to Hogsmeade and trust me if you try to trick me and have us appear else ware well… this," Vadam gestured behind him with his free hand "was me not trying."

With their deaths the anti-disapperation wards had fallen. The man nodded jerkily and they disapperate.

Vadam did not enjoy apparition. It felt like being squeezed into a very thin tube and forced through it. He had never apparated before this moment but had been warned about how it felt.

They appeared with a crack and Vadam threw the snatcher away. He ran off clutching the stump where his hand once was. Vadam watched the rather young man run for a moment before throwing a Doom Blade after him. The deadly blade struck the man in the back and popped – the pop causing the man's back to split wide open and he fell.

Vadam wasn't entirely sure how he should feel about his decision to kill _"Hmm, Nox probably wouldn't have approved…"_ Vadam shook the thought out of his head and began to wander Hogsmeade, leaving the gory body in the street.

It seemed to be a very subdued Hogsmeade.

There was literally no one on the streets except for the bloody corpse of the man Vadam killed. He looked around for anyone but still the streets were empty and cold.

"Hey," A voice beckoned Vadam's eyes to look at the dingy old pub The Hogs Head. Vadam viewed the building with suspicion but he was certain he heard a voice coming from it.

Vadam walked up to the bar and looked into the dusty glass before deciding that he couldn't see inside it. Vadam pushed the door open and found himself is the filthiest building he had ever stepped foot in. The floor was more dirt that wood and everything looked like a health inspector's heart attack.

Standing in the bar was "Dumbledore?" Aberforth chuckled darkly "Technically yes," his voice was much gruffer than Vadam had remembered and he certainly didn't look nearly as healthy "Albus was my brother. I'm Aberforth Dumbledore," Vadam regarded the man with his patented look of suspicion but didn't leave the building.

"Did you call me over here?" The man was absentmindedly cleaning a mug with a rag so dirty he was really just greasing the glass "No. I was standing here the entire time. Hearing things aint good, even in the wizarding world."

The man who was Dumbledore's brother looked very similar; he had spectacles, a great deal of long stringy grey hair as a beard and piercing blue eyes. He was tall and thin and seemed to be grumpy.

Vadam closed the door behind him and regarded Aberforth "Alright…" he found himself at a loss to say, he was still sure that Aberforth had called him. Vadam waited in the hopes that the man would start their conversation; Aberforth continued greasing his mug for a few more minutes before setting it down.

"A Butterbeer or a firewhisky?" Vadam had enjoyed butterbeers in the past "Butterbeer," the man nodded and Vadam sat down at the bar.

He sipped the delicious, if dusty, drink as Aberforth began greasing another mug "…What's your first name?" Vadam looked up in surprise, the gruff voice was clearly Aberforth speaking but he hadn't looked up to address Vadam.

Vadam deliberated the question for a few moments before answering "Aimeus," he said it to the room, as if he wasn't speaking to Aberforth.

Aberforth continued greasing his mug for another minute before setting it down and began walking out of the room. Vadam watched for a moment before starting and hopping off his stool, still clutching his butterbeer, and followed Aberforth to a back room.

He wasn't convinced that this man was a friendly but he seemed to have something important to say something to him. His right hand gripped his swords hilt as he walked through a curtain and walked into a semi-comfortable room.

Aberforth was regarding a moving painting of a young girl dressed in simple clothes and holding a book. Vadam cleared his throat but Aberforth didn't respond. He whispered something to the painting and Vadam was surprised to see her nod and begin walking backwards, further into the painting.

Aberforth turned and Vadam realised his eyes were piercing, just like his brother "For the past few months the wizarding world has been sent into turmoil," Vadam nodded "Volde-" Aberforth cut him off with a sudden snap of "Don't say his name!" Vadam cut off and he was about to question but Aberforth already was explaining "A taboo, You-Know-Who has put a taboo on his name so that anyone who says it will be immediately located by his forces. Anyone brave enough to say it is also the enemy so it is a perfect system," Vadam closed his mouth and nodded "Thankyou."

The girl in the painting returned and Vadam felt his heart give a flip when he recognised a person with her "AH! Neville," the painting swung open and Neville jumped out "Vadam!" He ran and through his arms around him. Vadam hugged his friend back "You're alright," they both said the words at the same time and both gave a weak chuckle.

Neville then pulled out of the hug and gave Vadam a painful punch in the nose "Ah! What the?" Neville glared at him and tears began filling his eyes "Why would you go without at least telling us?" Vadam felt guilt he had forgotten well up and he looked down to his bare feet "Luna has been taken," Vadam's heart gave a more painful flip and he looked up in horror "What?" Neville began crying "Th-the train… Death eaters came and took her," he shook his head and Vadam walked up "I'm so sorry," Neville shook his head "I don't know if she's okay."

Vadam awkwardly wrapped his arms around Neville; even with Neville's growth spurts he was still considerably taller than him. "I'm here now," Vadam had read a few fiction books when he lived on Ravnica and people often said that when they returned.

Neville pushed him out of Vadam's hug and sniffed "I'm okay now," Vadam nodded and was silently relieved that Neville didn't want to hug anymore.

"Can you tell me what has happened since you disappeared?" Vadam nodded and was about to begin when Aberforth interrupted "You need to go into Hogwarts, it's dangerous for you to be here," Neville nodded and led Vadam into the passageway "Thanks Aberforth," He nodded to Neville and said "You owe me for the butterbeer," Vadam nodded and then they were enshrouded in darkness as the painting closed.

They walked in silence for a minute until they reached an opening. Neville crawled out of it and Vadam had to duck almost 90 degrees to fit through it. He emerged into a wide room, filled with people and hammocks.

Vadam was able to recognise most of the people in the room and most of them recognised him "Hey, I've got Vadam," Neville spoke out to the shocked silence. Vadam couldn't see anyone he actually had felt even a little close to in the crowd bar Neville.

People seemed excited and Vadam was beginning to feel that someone had the wrong idea "Neville!" He had to raise his voice to allow him to be heard over the crowd, they fell silent and Neville turned to him expectantly "You do realise I can't stay," Neville looked disappointed and the crowd looked shocked "Look, I need to talk to you," Neville nodded and led him to a smallish door.

Neville led him into an utterly packed room, filled to the rafters with objects "Holy ghosts," Neville nodded "I was able to figure out how to connect the rooms of requirement. That one," he pointed to the door with the students "and this one. The room of hidden things."

Vadam could sense something bad in the room and was feeling very uncomfortable "We aren't alone in here you know," Neville looked shocked "What?" Vadam shrugged "I can sense something… it's incomplete but I'm certain there is a ghost or spirit in here," Neville gave him an odd look "That's impossible…" Vadam shrugged "Well this room is packed literally to the roof so maybe I'm just sensing to much magic."

Neville didn't look happy but they weren't there for that "So, what did you need to tell me?" Vadam sighed "Nox died," Neville's irritated look morphed into pure horror "no," Vadam nodded "Bolas killed him," He patted his hand behind him, looking for a steady surface to grip onto "Furthermore, I am no longer immortal. I gave up my immortality for a new chance at true life but I was manipulated," he turned to Neville with tears in his eyes "I still am alive but I have lost a huge amount of sheer magical power and lost my grip on my plague magic."

Neville swallowed and looked down "Okay…" he didn't really know what else to say but Vadam still had more "It gets worse," Neville looked mortified "Bolas has constructed three Manaliths," Neville didn't know what that was "What?" Vadam explained "It is a focus point of sheer mana. They are practically solid mana and Bolas is probably the only living being that still knows how to create them."

Neville nodded "Okay, why are they a problem?" Vadam shook his head with a dry laugh "On a normal Plane a Manalith would cause immense problems to someone wanting to fight a controller of one. Bolas can redirect practically unlimited amounts of a colour of mana from an area to this point. Therefor he is no longer limited by the body's limitations of mana," Vadam looked Neville straight in the eyes "Whilst he has them. He is unstoppable. There is no question about it."

Neville nodded shakily "So if he can't be beaten than why have you come back? Because you know I'm not abandoning Earth, you can't convince me," Vadam shook his head "I've destroyed one. As long as I can destroy them than I think he can be stopped," Neville nodded "You want revenge for Nox."

It wasn't a question but Vadam nodded anyway.

Neville sighed "An entire nation is fighting an insane madman and losing. A single person is fighting someone far worse," Neville shook his head "If anyone can do it, it's you."

Vadam smiled "Thanks, Neville," Vadam grabbed his arm and Neville nodded. They remained that way for a moment before separating "I guess you need to go now," Vadam shook his head "I'm still getting used to living again so I really need a better place to sleep and some food, and drink," Neville laughed "alright we'll set you up for tonight."

 **######**

Despite his exhaustion Vadam couldn't sleep. He lay in a hammock, gently rocking from side to side but was unable to sleep. Sighing, he began to struggle in order to crawl out of the hammock. He landed with a thud. A few people looked up but upon realising it was Vadam they rolled over and went back to sleep.

He quietly weaved around the sleeping students and had almost reached the door when a quiet voice accosted him "Vadam?" He turned to see Neville tiredly looking over at him, his wand tip bright.

"Turn that off," Neville extinguished the Lumos and walked over to Vadam "Couldn't sleep?" Vadam gave him a dry look "No, I'm sleepwalking," Neville gave a quiet laugh "Sorry."

The two of them walked over to the adjoining door and they walked into the room of hidden things "I know something is in here… mind helping me look?" Neville was still rubbing sleep out of his eyes "Fine," he relit his wand but Vadam had to search through mild darkness.

It didn't really take very long "Hey, Neville!" Neville quickly came over, his wand allowing Vadam to prevent him from stubbing his toe "I think I'll be able to just sense it," Neville nodded and they walked together "So… what does it… feel like?" Vadam thought for a moment "Unpleasant. Like something has been broken and broken and broken again… the less unpleasant parts kind of remind me of how Nox felt."

Neville sighed slightly but didn't say anything. They wandered about for a few more minutes until they came across the bust of an ugly wizard. On top of his head laid an old, discoloured diadem "Here it is," Neville nodded and Vadam reached out to it before hesitating "It doesn't feel right."

Vadam unsheathed his sword with an awesome zing sound and prodded the point into the gap. Suddenly the Diadem made a shrieking sound and jerked; Vadam drew back his sword and exchanged a look with Neville before staring at the object.

"Hmm…" Vadam looked down to the jet black of his blade "…You know I got this sword from death," Neville gave a start "What!?" Vadam chuckled "Well, that Planes' dream-based god of death. Erebos is his name and he is the one who brought me back to life."

Neville stared at Vadam as he recounted his story "He also gave me this blade…" He touched the blade and drew back with a hiss "Ow," he sucked his hurt finger and watched as Neville carefully copied his motion "Huh?" Neville was unharmed.

"I wonder…" Vadam stared down to his blade "Maybe he gave me this sword for more than just to replace my other one… Erebos hates the retur- zombies and isn't to approving of spirits and other beings who have escaped fate. I'm not a Lich anymore but I have technically escaped fate".

Neville shot him a wondering look "Interesting… do you think it would work on You-Know-Who?" Vadam nodded "Probably. And probably Bolas too," Neville nodded and Vadam sheathed his sword.

"Can I borrow that?" Vadam didn't wait for an answer and grabbed Neville's wand "Wingardium Leviosa!" He pointed the wand at the diadem and it shuddered a bit before slowly levitating upwards. Vadam led the diadem to him and opened his pocket Plane.

He placed the artifact into the pocket Plane and sealed it up "I think that this device could use some studying before I simply destroy it," Neville nodded and they walked out of the room of hidden things.

 **######**

The next day wasn't a bright day. Vadam had been brought up to speed on the situation in Hogwarts. He had to be restrained from going out and attacking several people, the Carrow's and Malfoy, but controlled himself quickly.

"I really do apologise but," Vadam motioned to Neville "He has more important, war-related stuff to do," Neville spoke for him. Vadam felt guilty about leaving the students but Neville reassured him that they could take care of themselves.

They gave Vadam a pair of boots and some food and drink to sustain himself on and Neville walked him back the pathway to Aberforth.

He emerged from the painting of the girl and looked about for Aberforth. He wasn't in the room. "Good luck, Vadam," Neville hesitated before giving him a hug. Vadam awkwardly returned the embrace for a moment until Neville pulled out of it "Don't die," Vadam nodded "You too," Neville smiled before walking back into the painting.

Vadam looked through the curtain and noticed someone in the Hogs Head; he enshrouded himself in an Invisibility enchantment and teleported through the curtain. Luckily his night in Hogwarts had restocked his mana levels; he shot the heavily-cloaked individual a dark look and walked to the door before teleporting out of the bar.

During the day Hogsmeade wasn't much more lively, few people were on the street and those that were, were walking in huddled groups. Dark cloaks and silent people were the only attractions of the street and Vadam didn't like people.

He didn't really have anything more to do in Hogsmeade so, still invisible, he walked out of the village.

Vadam knew that his decision to come here was a good one; he was able to catch up with one of his friends, learn some more about the war and he could sense the Red mana everywhere.

He gave a small touch to the volatile mana and found that he couldn't absorb any of it. Smirking slightly Vadam walked out of Hogsmeade and into the mountains.

Vadam followed the moving mana further and further into the mountainous region surrounding Hogwarts _"Such a perfect location,"_ Vadam had always appreciated Hogwarts' location when he began teaching there. In a mountainous region, with a forest and a lake, Hogwarts had three strongly natural locations of mana. The lawns, and Hogsmeade, contributed White mana and the dungeons and swampy areas amongst the mountains and forest contributed Black mana.

Overall it was a good place for mana.

Vadam felt the twinges of hunger so he reached into the shoulder bag he now wore and pulled out a jar. It had a rounded flat stick attached to it, a jar of jam.

Vadam took the stick off and struggled with the opening for a minute "Oh COME ON!" Vadam was getting ready to smash it when he had a thought. He tried twisting the other way and a delightful pop lifted the lid.

Glad that no one was around to see that Vadam scooped a bit of jam onto the stick and began eating it. It was delightfully sweet.

Vadam hummed slightly as he ate the jam and began considering his next foe _"I'm guessing Sarkhan,"_ Vadam snorted as he thought of the dragon mage. He and Sarkhan had never spent any time alone together and only saw each other when receiving orders from Bolas.

But whereas Vadam was important and powerful, Sarkhan was Bolas' attack dog and just as smart. He smirked, _"If Sarkhan is guarding it then I almost feel bad for him,"_ Vadam knew he was regarded higher than Sarkhan. Sarkhan was pretty much simply unchained and pointed at some pile of enemies when Bolas needed him for something.

Vadam got the far more important duties of sowing chaos amongst the two more powerful shards of Alara.

Tezzeret, Vadam and Sarkhan all had their roles. Tezzeret was Bolas' agent; he went about finding and/or blackmailing important people across the Shards, Sarkhan simply waged violent attacks whenever Bolas said so. Vadam was the most important, in his eyes at least, he gathered up two armies across the two most powerful shards, Esper and Bant, and caused chaos and discord by attacking settlements and either killing people or bringing them into his army.

Vadam had almost delved into a strut as he thought of those memories, maybe not the happiest in his life but certainly the ones where he felt the most powerful _"It's ironic. I'm stronger now,"_ His smirk faded _"Only slightly now… stupid death god,"_ Vadam had clearly noted the gap in his power level, having a body that existed on the powers of mana allowed him to contain and utilise it to a deadlier degree.

Vadam waved his hand at a tree; he focused his plague magic on the tree.

Nothing happened.

Vadam frowned and looked down at his hand _"My plague magic… hmm,"_ Vadam hadn't really tried any since Theros but he had a lingering fear in the pit of his gut.

He walked to the tree and gripped its bark and focused the magics of Sabbiol over it.

Still nothing.

Vadam's lips pursed into a line and his bicep flexed, he forced all his knowledge over his unique branch of necromancy onto the tree. Finally it began to turn a dark green before darkening further.

Letting go of the tree with a gasp Vadam stared at it _"That was way harder than it should have been,"_ he looked down to his hands again as he confronted the truth about his abilities. His plague magic had gone with his immortality.

Vadam had chained himself to Sabbiol itself and that was where his unique necromancy came from _"Now that my immortalities gone I suppose it went with it,"_ Vadam felt an odd feeling of not-quite disappointment. His unique magic was special to him but that time he almost killed Neville still made his heart feel heavy with guilt.

Vadam rubbed the brow of his nose _"It can't be helped… lousy god,"_ Vadam almost chuckled to himself for no reason before the familiar feeling of pain resurfaced in his heart _"Nox would say stuff like that,"_ No words had been spoken aloud but Vadam had succeeded in bringing his almost-positive mood down.

Thinking of Nox in any way continued to cause him pain and Vadam resolved to stop the pain. Steeling himself Vadam stared forward and continued his look, leaving the infected tree behind.

Vadam walked amongst the trees, continuing upwards through the mountain range. He followed the sporadically moving Red mana towards a point. Vadam knew that Bolas wasn't really trying to hide the Manalith's; he was finding it really suspicious. They effectively assured Bolas victory against him, Vadam hoped that it was simply him being overconfident.

Vadam knew that Bolas would have backup plan on top of backup plan, all he could hope for would be that Bolas didn't have enough time to form any convoluted plans.

He walked further and then stopped. Enough thoughts thinking about Bolas had been made. He was looking to where he was certain the Manalith lay.

Vadam looked ahead before giving a big sigh "I know you are there! Lower the barrier and let's fight!" He felt only a little foolish saying these words to a cluster of trees.

However his challenge was heard and with a ripple space was refilled. First came the tip of the Manalith and several more trees, then came a raised section where the remainder of the Manalith laid. Then came a field and then a man.

The man had a mane of scraggy, red hair.

He wore red barbarian-like leather armour.

His eyes shone with sheer madness.

And he clutched a deadly, rock spear in his left hand.

Vadam had no idea who he was.

"Beware me, Vadam!" The man hurled his spear.

Vadam teleported to avoid the throw and appeared ahead of his original standing. It was only a few meters but he figured he'd be fine.

Behind him the spear's impact on the land caused an explosion.

Vadam was thrown forward and Ramaz flicked his hand and the spear flew back into his grasp. "Ah!" Vadam was in pain and shock from that manoeuvre and only barely rolled to avoid Ramaz skewering him with his spear.

"I AM RAMAZ! THE DRAGON'S CHOSEN ONE!" The insane shaman suddenly screamed at him, giving Vadam the time to get to his feet.

Vadam drew his sword and faced the manically grinning man "TO THE DEATH!" He flung his spear at Vadam who teleported. He appeared behind Ramaz and watched as the spear impacted on another mound of dirt and exploded. Oddly enough the spear was unharmed.

Ramaz grabbed the spear and, with a flick, spun around to Vadam "HERE WILL BE YOUR TOMB!" This time he ran at Vadam,who struck him with a Blustersquall spell and knocked him back "Jokes on you, I've died twice," Vadam slashed downwards but hit some sort of barrier.

He was momentarily confused but the Chaos Shield repelled his swords momentum in a bolt of energy. With a flash of crackling red Vadam was thrown backwards, up in the air and landed painfully.

The landing knocked the wind out of him. Vadam groaned and rolled to his stomach, but Ramaz was already there "TO THE FACE!" He stabbed forward but Vadam threw up a shield.

The spear tip caused an explosion of energy, heat and force and Vadam was thrown back. His shield prevented the heat and energy from harming him but he was thrown into a hard lump of earth. His head pounded from the impact and he blinked painfully to view Ramaz high in the air "DIIIEEEEEE!" Vadam threw a ball of mana at the screaming figure and he was knocked back.

Ramaz landed on both legs, though Vadam was certain he heard a crunch, and looked over to Vadam; his trademark crazy grin had faded to a more chilling, and terrifying, look.

"You left the Lord Dragon… Ramaz was, is, better than you could ever be… but why does he still want you?" Vadam didn't really have any answers for the deranged man who was now glaring at him "Why? WHY!? WHY DO YOU GET THE PIZZA AND I GET THE CRUST?"

If Vadam had never had a deranged, helpful, voice living in his head for over a decade, he may have been thrown off by such a statement. To many it would be a new top in weird battle lines, for Vadam it was just a new middle.

Ramaz let out a scream - itmay have been a war cry - and began sprinting at Vadam again. He was getting sick of this man's random attacks and exploding spear.

Vadam steeled himself and took a breath. Ramaz was still screaming and charging. Vadam glared at the man and raised his left hand "Rebuke!" The holy spell now no longer hurt him to cast, however it still did hurt his enemy. Ramaz was blown back with a scream and Vadam charged.

Ramaz recovered quickly enough to block Vadam slash and deliver a kick to his chest, knocking Vadam back. Ramaz stood "SO, IT'S A FIGHT YOU WANT!" Vadam was beginning to suspect that Ramaz was either crazy or brilliantly crazy. Ramaz leaped forward and began delivering brutal kicks and punches to Vadam's body.

He was unprepared for such an assault and received a beatdown.

"Gah, GET OFF!" Vadam punched the man in the face and threw him off of him. The two fighters had both lost their weapons and Vadam was looking around desperately for his sword, he spotted it and began to run but was tripped "GOT YA!" Ramaz had grabbed Vadam's ankle and grounded him, Vadam screamed as Ramaz dealt a deadly spell to the unprotected back of his right knee.

"AH!" He pulled his leg free and curled up slightly to try and block some of the pain _"Bloody death god,"_ Ramaz was spitting and frothing and lost a tooth when Vadam punched him in the face.

Vadam crawled free from the man and managed to grab his sword, he used it as a crutch and stood to glare at Ramaz, he was holding his nose that was pouring blood and yelling something at him "DO WILL BLY!" Possibly the most normal thing he had said this entire battle.

Vadam tried to reach his wits; they had been buried by all the pain, as Ramaz began to charge once more _"What do I do?"_ He didn't have much time to think though as Ramaz was already atop him "BLLLLYYY!" He slammed the spear down and Vadam teleported.

This time Ramaz was blown away by his own explosion, Vadam felt the temptation to laugh but felt that something like that would be what Nox would do. Narrowing his eyes Vadam focused on Ramaz, he was picking himself up and shaking his head. It all reminded Vadam of Nox.

He teleported.

Vadam appeared in front of the standing Ramaz and slammed him in the neck with a focused Blustersquall. Ramaz fell choking and spluttering as he was suddenly deprived of the ability to breath, Vadam drove his sword through Ramaz' right leg and he howled in pain. Vadam didn't allow any reprieve and grabbed the man by the neck.

Any air he may have been able to take in was cut off as Vadam squeezed. Ramaz desperately clawed at Vadam's face but he choked him harder and Ramaz' arms went limp. He made a wheezing sound as Vadam prepared to break his neck "Nox," Vadam's eyes snapped open and he dropped the man "What?" he collapsed and Vadam took several steps back "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Ramaz didn't respond and Vadam took a few breaths "Just hearing things," Ramaz had simply wheezed out a sound when Vadam was thinking of Nox _"That's all it was,"_ The man was either unconscious or dead but Vadam found that his rage had disappeared.

" _Where did that come from?"_ He looked at the shaman before looking away, he didn't want to know whether he was alive or not.

" _I've wasted too much time here,"_ Leaning on his sheathed sword Vadam walked to the forgotten Manalith. He admired it for a few moments before unsheathing his sword and stabbing into the Vermillion stone. It cracked and Vadam felt a pulse of Red mana escape. It almost blew him off his legs but he weathered it.

Vadam sent a charge of Black, White and Blue mana into the Manalith and it destabilised. The Manalith flashed several shades of brown before a rumbling began.

" _Crap, it's a trap!"_ Vadam wasn't entirely sure if he was right but he had done something wrong. He teared the sword out and began limping off, the Manalith began to crack further as more mana escaped from it. Vadam didn't bat Ramaz another glance as he past the fallen shaman and managed to clear the area before the Manalith exploded.

The sheer explosion destroyed all traces of the Manalith and buried the area in dirt. Even a few of the trees Vadam had escaped to had been uprooted.

He carefully made his way out of the safety of the trees and walked into the destruction, his feet sunk into the soft dirt as he explored the filthy area, he silently thanked Neville for supplying him with boots, and walked up to where the Manalith stood. He peered into the hole that had been left and found nothing but a bed of rock and dirt within. Satisfied that not even a powerstone remained, Vadam left the area.

* * *

 **Okay and that is where the chapter shall end. The Blue and the Red Manalith's have been destroyed, only the Black one remains… but Bolas must have figured out he was back by now.**

 **And Vadam's personality is beginning to go a bit dark again…**


	3. Vs The Dark Lord

**So hi. Third chapter here and we have reached the middle of this story. Fourth chapter will be the biggest one but this one is bigger than the previous two, although not combined. I'm just going to say this here, it will be said in the story itself but there is a fairly large gap in time between this chapter and the previous one. A few months in fact. I can't really be bothered to write the entirety of the time span because most of it would be walking, mental yelling and Vadam getting frustrated.**

 ***Vadam can't (easily) put people in his pocket Plane and to access it he demi-Planeswalks, that is to say, he uses the sparks ability to fade out of existence to a minimal degree to access the pocket Plane***

* * *

Vadam had been wandering for months.

After the battle against Ramaz, Vadam staggered off to nurse his wounds and lay low. He knew that if Bolas really, really wanted to simply kill him he probably would just start blowing the place up _"But the dragon is far more subtle than that"._ Knowing this,he stayed outside of Hogsmeade for as long as it took for his knee to heal.

He was highly tempted to return to the Hogs Head and spend the time with Neville but he knew that he would get sucked into more plots and problems and he really needed to focus on surviving against Bolas _"The dragon could attack Hogwarts if I went there anyway"._

And so Vadam hovered around until he could leave easily.

 **######**

For two months Vadam travelled around Britain and Scotland, searching for the Black Manalith. He traversed the horrors of London, got lost in the moors, almost sunk into a swamp and was attacked by several swamp creatures.

The unlocking mana of Earth was beginning change, most of the sapient population were unaffected but the creatures of the land were going under impressive changes. Whilst wading through a particularly foul smelling swamp he was attacked by a crocodile of disturbing proportions.

It was ridged, grey, leathery and terrifying.

If Vadam wasn't a man who had taken on gods, demons and even been undead for almost a decade, he may have been intimidated. The sudden lash was surprising but Vadam only screamed a little, the crocodile was worse off. Vadam forced Black mana will over the creature and beat it back into submission.

Smirking he made the crocodile lift him out of the smelly water and he stood on its back as it led him through the swamp.

Eventually it became clear that the Manalith was nowhere in these swamps, so Vadam dug his sword into the creatures skull and reanimated it. He was still rather sore about the loss of his plague magic, normal zombies attack the living, eat the living and all that. His magic allowed the zombification to spread, spread like a plague when an infected attacked another infected. Still, satisfied with his giant zombie crocodile he ordered it to remain… well alive wasn't the appropriate word in the situation, he ordered it to remain in existence so that he could summon it if he needed to.

 **######**

Another two months passed before Vadam finally found something, it was faint but he could finally sense some tapped Black mana.

He found himself in a wizarding part of a city he didn't bother learning the name of, and had been keeping a very keen ear out for any news based around his type of magic. He was able to learn that pureblood supremacists kept any knowledge of mana under tight wraps. Though the more fanatical members of his class had reported back to their parents about mana being a magic anyone could potentially learn.

The idea of muggles using magic absolutely revolted the pure bloods and had taken it upon themselves to destroy all of Vadam's work. They refused to allow muggleborn students that Vadam may have taught, to teach it to the muggles themselves and further attacks on muggle civilisations occurred.

Vadam noted the irony of the fact that the attacks would only prompt the kids to try and teach their family a way to defend themselves.

Vadam considered the implications of a war between the wizards and the muggles. He hadn't seen much of the muggles technology but even he could see that it was more advanced than even Ravnica _"If they have weapons advanced as their damn cars then the wizards could be in trouble,"_ Vadam had also seen the sheer abundance of muggles, London was absolutely packed with people and all of the other cities were the same.

Being a Planeswalker, wars confined to single worlds didn't particularly bother him, so Vadam pushed the thoughts out of his head and continued following the weak trail of Black mana.

Vadam followed it out of the dark slums to the bustling city, he continued following it through the endless crowds of sad people and weaved around the loud, honking, cars.

He followed the trail out of the city and into the wilderness.

Vadam was unsure if he had searched the area previously or not, but he had a trail of something, so he pushed any doubts out of his mind and continued on.

He probably shouldn't have gone on.

Vadam found himself in a wide plains, he could sense some White mana in the area but he could sense an odd amount of Black in the area as well.

It was dusk as he wandered the plains, the place was unusually cold, he looked and sensed but the trail didn't seem any stronger now than it had ever been _"It's like I'm being led on,"_ Vadam's suspicions had returned full force _"No matter where I follow, the trail doesn't get any stronger, but not weak enough to deter me,"_ Vadam was beginning to suspect a trap.

He was right.

The area seemed to drop ten degrees as he made it to the middle of the plains. Suddenly the Black mana sense spiked to overrun the White mana in the area. The blades of grass he was standing on began to freeze; freeze completely solid.

"Dammit," He looked about for whoever was coming upon him but he couldn't see anyone. "Paraselene!" Vadam could see the moon of Earth shining brightly as his magic called upon its might. A great flash of moonlight blew over the area. Revealing nothing.

"What?" Vadam cursed, he was certain he could reveal whoever was sneaking up on him by the spell. Whatever was stalking him was still around though, the Black mana feeling was growing repugnant and the grass was going from frozen solid to purple.

The grass was crumbling down into dark, blackish dust and Vadam was growing very concerned. The magic reminded him of the Firstborn's magic, his old magic "WHO'S THERE!?" He demanded but he still received no answer.

Vadam began to move, the grass was crunching under his boots as he power walked, he would fight if necessary but he wasn't liking the situation. He was nearing the top of a hill when he heard something _"Come… I can show you everything,"_ Vadam spun around and drew his sword, looking desperately around him "Tezzeret…" Vadam was certain he had heard the accused man's voice speaking the words than damned him.

" _Monster…"_ A voice he didn't recognise sounded behind him and Vadam spun to face the direction. Still nothing.

His heart was beginning to thump as more shadowy voices began whispering _"Bind yourself to me…"_ Vadam spun again, looking around _"Is this the' voices' Nox shielded from me?"_ A flash of pain ran through his heart as the thought of Nox bombarded his mind _"I… just… want to help…"_ Vadam let out a cry of pain as the first words Nox spoke to him crossed his mind. He tried to force the thoughts down but they only came stronger and more painful _"You are a monster…"_ Vadam grabbed his head to try and stop the thoughts _"You deserve to suffer…"_ The hateful words that Nox once spoke to him, Vadam couldn't stop them.

" _You deserve to die…"_

" _You will be damned…"_

" _LET ME OUT!"_

" _In an endless void of nothing but memories…"_

" _I HATE YOU!"_

" _Pain is all I know…"_

" _Your mother loved you…"_

" _Remember your last words to her?"_

Vadam let out a scream as even worse memories began to assault him.

" _Aimeus we have to run…"_ His mother.

" _So that's how it is then. FINE! I'LL GO YOU CAN DIE HERE…"_ His last words to Venser, his first friend.

" _You killed them…"_ Nazo realising the truth.

" _No we have to stay and fight…"_ The beginning of the argument.

" _My son…"_ His father.

" _Elspeth I…"_ Elspeth's death.

" _Aimeus please we can't stay…"_ The fateful argument.

" _YOU DON'T TRUST ME…"_ Ending of his friendship with Draco.

" _I'm dying…"_ Nox in his arms.

" _What's the point in running like cowards?"_ The beginning of his worst memory.

" _No… no no no no no I didn't mean to…"_ The first person he killed.

" _You're a monster?"_ That young boy.

" _I can't lose you…"_ The words spoken by his mother.

" _You broke my mother's heart…"_ Beginning the battle against his father.

" _I'm sorry I'll hold you…"_ His father having stabbed him.

" _WHAT'S THE POINT OF LIVING IF WE DON'T REALLY LIVE?"_ He shouted at his mother.

" _The man who never misses a lethal blow missed a lethal blow…"_ His father, having missed anything vital inside him.

" _I'll bring you back to Fosilus…"_ Killing his father.

" _Aimeus I love you…"_ His mother trying to calm him.

" _Nox please…"_ Nox dying in his arms.

" _I've changed, I've changed! Please I'm begging you…"_ Ajani murdering him.

" _I DON'T WANT TO LIVE A LIFE WHERE I'M A COWARD…"_ More shouting at his mother. Ironic now.

" _Aimeus Kartika Vadam…"_ The Firstborn's foul speech.

" _Ah, AH!"_ Being tripped in the exploding Phyrexian facility.

" _But such a short life can't be worth it, everyone who fights will die…"_ His mother's wise reasoning.

" _I'm your half-brother, AH!"_ Thalanos killing him the second time.

" _NOX!"_ Nox disappearing.

" _WELL FINE IF-"_ "NO!" Vadam cut off his worst memory of all with a scream to the heavens "NO! I WILL NOT!" He had no idea what was doing this to him but he was refusing to allow it to make him relive that memory, the reason why he is so afraid of death.

He forced his squeezed shut eyes open and found himself surrounded by floating, shadowy, cloaked figures simply reeking of Black mana. Dementors.

Vadam had little idea as to what these monsters were but he wasn't overly fussed on the specifics "REBUKE!" He sent the minor holy spell at the closest one. The sign of Avacyn burned on its body and the shade made a loud breathing, choking noise as the sheer White mana burned its existence.

Vadam spun to the others and overloaded a Blustersquall spell, sending them all back. "SMITE THE MONSTROUS!" The bright moon of Earth flashed as moonbeams burned the creatures, Vadam felt his mind clear as they fled and spat to the side.

The creatures fled and warmth returned to the world. Vadam was still feeling deeply shocked and very, very cold in the wake of the shades "W-what were those things?" He found that sometimes speaking aloud made things less lonely.

Still with no permanent resident in his head was around, no one responded. He was shivering as he began to walk out of the frozen plains.

His legs were stiff and his head was still feeling cloudy, Vadam had never felt like this before _"I swear… if Bolas sent those things…"_ Vadam wasn't sure how much more hatred he could feel for the dragon, but those shades were low. Not as low as killing Nox but still low.

Vadam vaguely noted that the Black mana trail had disappeared. He chuckled weakly as he saw the trap, looking around it was clear that he was nowhere close to any civilisation or any person who could possibly help him _"If the plan was to break my spirit than he failed,"_ Vadam felt something akin to determination boil up in his chest.

The feeling of anger helped push the crushing cold back, but it was like a candle flame, it burned for a few minutes before flickering out. Vadam sighed as his mind slipped back to the darkness that the shades inflicted on him.

Vadam looked around to check for any of the shades but he couldn't sense any Black mana left in the area. The distraction helped push down the thoughts for a moment but they returned anyway _"Aimeus we have to run,"_ it was just after the word on the zombie horde had reached the village _"No we have to stay and fight,"_ Vadam had been considered as the 'weak bastard son of the village whore'.

A moment of weakness is what painted his mother, who was truly a kind and wonderful person _"Aimeus please we can't stay,"_ Vadam shook his head as tears suddenly blurred his eyes, he hated himself for resisting, pride and defiance ruined his life.

" _What's the point in running like cowards,"_ Vadam breathed hard to hold back sobs _"I can't lose you,"_ his mother loved him and only wanted him to be safe.

" _WHAT'S THE POINT OF LIVING IF WE DON'T REALLY LIVE?"_ He shouted and it broke her heart, looking back on the memories now was causing Vadam to give in to his sobs.

" _Aimeus I love you…"_ She named him because she loved him and Vadam just couldn't see it then.

" _I DON'T WANT TO LIVE A LIFE WHERE I'M A COWARD…"_ The irony of his words weren't lost on him. Because of his final words, he become more of a coward than running to live, ever would have been.

" _But such a short life can't be worth it, everyone who fights will die…"_ Nowadays Vadam would never had disagreed with such a statement, he now knows that her words were the truth. But not the complete truth.

" _WELL FINE, IF THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL, THEN FINE YOU CAN RUN,"_ His mother told him that she would refuse to run _"I won't leave without you,"_ Vadam wished he simply ran so that they could still be together, or at least so that he wouldn't have spoken those fateful words.

 ***Flashback Begins***

Aimeus was glaring at his mother, she held a small bag in her bony hand and tears had flowed forth from her eyes "I won't leave without you," She spoke tearfully but Aimeus wasn't listening "WHY! Why can't you just run?" She shook her head "You are the only thing that I love, I can't live knowing you will die".

Aimeus paced slightly whilst breathing heavily "I have lived my whole life being considered a pathetic, scrawny, son of a whore," she flinched heavily at that "Even if I die in the fight I want to die knowing that I did something brave, something worthwhile".

His mother sobbed slightly "No Aimeus we can flee," Aimeus shook his head "I DON'T WANT TO!" She grabbed his arm "There is no point in sacrificing yourself for one moment of glory if you can live a life doing good," Aimeus shook his head "NO! There is no life anywhere in the world. If I die here I can die knowing I at least resisted now, LET GO OF ME!"

Aimeus wrought his arm free and his mother staggered forward a step. He walked towards the door when his mother called out again "You will die, everyone will die and for no purpose," Aimeus paused, rage was flashing painfully through him "If anyone dies in this battle I hope it's you," He threw the door open, not really knowing that the flash of pure pain that flashed over his mother's face would be his last memory of her.

 **######**

Aimeus stood in a phalanx along the people he had grown up with, many people had given him looks of shock when he walked up saying that he was going to stay and fight but no one tried to stop him. Standing in the group, holding a sharp metal tool, Aimeus couldn't help but think back to his mother, he felt guilt over his last words, but he had to say something to get her to leave.

He swallowed slightly as he remembered the look of pain cross his mother's face, shaking his head _"No she has to run and flee and that was the only way,"_ Still he couldn't help but wish that he had said something less hurtful.

He had no more time to think of that as the enemy appeared, shambling towards them was a veritable army of undead, people from other villages that had been twisted to the necromancers will Aimeus glared.

He saw him.

The necromancer walking leisurely in front of his horde, in one hand he clutched a sceptre and he was clothed in a dark cloak, shielding his face and any skin aside from his hands.

The necromancer pointed and the horde converged upon them, more and more and more of them. Aimeus finally felt fear, he hadn't expected so many but still as the zombies came across the hill more and more would follow. As if this necromancer had an unending army of them.

The tiny phalanx of villagers huddled together, waiting. Finally one of the villagers let out a bloodcurdling scream and tore from the phalanx to flee from the horde, the necromancer laughed and a jet out purple magic struck him down.

He didn't stay down for long.

Quickly the boy rose again but he no longer held fear on his face, no, he had hunger.

The horde converged and the battle began. Aimeus smacked his tool into any moving body around him, he couldn't be certain who he was hitting, all he knew was that he was running.

He got turned around and boxed in several times but no zombie bit him and he continued running _"Why didn't I listen,"_ Tears were brimming in his eyes as he witnessed blood, gore and death all at once. People were being torn apart and eaten alive, others were being infected ad turned against their friends and families, other tried to flee but the necromancer would simply strike them down.

Aimeus had found himself running and hiding, more than once he had to pretend he was one of the dead to escape notice but slowly he was making it out of the village. It wasn't a particularly large village but Vadam had lived and ran and hid through it his entire life.

Finally he was almost free, he could see the necromancer blasting homes and laughing and once his back was turned he would have a clear shot to run.

Finally he turned and broke down the door to another house and Aimeus took off running "AH who do we have here?" Vadam heard the monsters voice and cursed, he turned his head but realised that the necromancer hadn't seen him.

Instead he was levelling his sceptre at "MOTHER!" All thoughts of flight left Aimeus' mind as he realised that his mother had stayed, he ran at the necromancer "LEAVE HER ALONE!" He raised his tool to smash the monsters head in, but his scream had caught the monsters attention.

"Die!" The soft voice was barely heard by Aimeus' ears as the necromancer blasted him away with a bolt of magic. Aimeus flew high into the sky before crashing to the ground and falling unconscious.

He couldn't be certain how long he was unconscious but eventually Aimeus came to, he groggily raised his head before forcing himself to his feet, he had actually landed on a hill just outside of the village, he blunk his eyes to try and focus them and finally his eyes focused.

"no"

Aimeus whispered, his eyes could barely comprehend what he was seeing. His village, his home razed to the ground as the necromancer laughed, he was surrounded by old and new dead and he destroyed the area.

"no"

Aimeus could recognise several of the undead as they stared at the necromancer, eyes glazed over and covered in gore.

"no"

His home was the only hut that remained standing, and standing in the frame of the door "NO!" A primal scream tore from his throat and as the necromancer looked up confused. Aimeus' eyes stopped seeing. He felt more pathetic and vulnerable than he ever had, as power beyond anything he could comprehend burst like a natural disaster through his body.

The last thing Aimeus saw was pure white as a beam of energy was expelled from his body, his spark ignited and his body couldn't contain all the power of the ignition, the area around him imploded as he Planeswalked and a ray of pure energy was sent at the area that remained.

The beam erased all flesh from the area, every zombie, corpse, scrap of flesh and drop of blood was erased as Aimeus became Vadam. The necromancer, The Firstborn screamed as not even it could withstand the ignition but was cut silent.

Nothing remained but the grass, the tools, the sticks and the wreckage.

 ***Flashback Ends***

Vadam sobbed in a curled up ball as his worst memory played through his mind _"I'm sorry mother,"_ but Vadam knew she couldn't hear him.

Vadam took a deep shuddering breath to force down the sobs and forced himself to his feet, his body shook, still feeling the effects of the Dementor attack but the episode had passed.

Vadam wiped the tears from his eyes _"Man I've been doing this a lot,"_ He gave a watery chuckle and began walking.

 **######**

It took another two months before Vadam finally found the right track. Clearly Bolas had been shielding the Manalith and only now Vadam finally was able to break through the shielding defences. It was a plan he had randomly decided on in frustration, he threw an enchantment breaking spell at a random spot and was surprised to reveal a thing.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Vadam killed it. It looked humanoid but gave him the impression of being grown in a sewer, or a swamp. That had given Vadam the idea to begin throwing those spells around. He occasionally revealed another one of the hunched, swampy things and destroyed it.

It took another trip into civilisation to solidify his suspicions. He returned to London and found himself in Knockturn Alley. Vadam enjoyed his superiority over wizards, their invisibility wasn't perfect, they left a very clear outline but his Invisibility enchantment allowed him to turn perfectly invisible.

Using his skills, he spied on the dark wizards until he finally heard something pertaining to his cause "These things are hideous," he had seen several of the lumbering creatures in the alley but few people paid them much attention, but now he was hearing dissent "Just get over it," a different wizard spoke to the first one "the Dark Lord has told us they are useful".

Vadam crept closer to better hear "… Any idea how he found them?" The first wizard asked and the second one looked around carefully before pulling him into a darker alley "Well I heard that the Dark Lord met an even more powerful being who supplied them in abundance in some deal they made".

The first wizard gasped "Stronger than the Dark Lord?" The second one shrugged "I don't know, that's just what I heard. But you can't say that to anyone ever! Alright?" The first one nodded "Right... but this other being…" the second one got the gist "It is supposed to be golden and like that Vadam," The first one shivered slightly "I heard about that Vadam… deadly guy. Is it true he fought the Dark Lord to a standstill and survived the killing curse?" The second one shrugged "I wasn't there, Vadam killed all the ones he encountered bar the Dark Lord… I'd say it is true though, the Dark Lord has banned people from spreading that rumour".

The first one nodded and they agreed not to talk about it anymore.

Vadam had heard enough, he just stuck around to feed his ego a bit, and left. He didn't see the men look around confused after their conversation was over. The foul creatures were creatures that Bolas had created, as he suspected, but the knowledge that Bolas and Voldemort were allied was worrying.

" _The best servants are ones that have servants of their own,"_ Vadam smirked a little as he considered that statement, it was very true and the idea that it had happened to Voldemort amused him. What didn't amuse him was the idea of the power boost Voldemort may have gotten from Bolas.

Assuming he isn't too prideful to accept it.

Vadam had learned that it was the month of April, this wasn't overly important to him but he noted it anyway. He left London and found a hidden path of Black mana. He had flung a few enchantment breaking spells and he was supplied with a sudden boon of untappable Black mana.

Excited, Vadam followed it, it was a long path. He crossed hills, streams, lakes and even an enormous pile of sand that wasn't quite a desert. The stream grew steadily stronger as he travelled _"This is obviously a trap,"_ Vadam smirked, to fight Bolas you had to play by his rules and there was no point in overthinking things as it was simply a general rule that Bolas has planned for it.

Vadam followed the trail until he finally had no need to follow it any longer. Before him stood a jet black, dilapidated old castle _"Bolas isn't even trying here,"_ Vadam knew that the Manalith was within the castle, the two were similar and both enjoyed a flair of dramatics. Vadam felt a wave of nauseous nervousness, there was a good chance Bolas could be awaiting him in the castle.

He walked up the steep hill.

He crossed the broken drawbridge.

He entered the castle of Bolas.

Vadam had barely taken a few steps when he was attacked. An unearthly screech echoed through the ruins and a massive bat came barrelling down at him, fangs and claws extended.

Vadam promptly blew it away with a burst of light.

He had been practising the good old arts of White mana as he had been travelling and was finding it rather useful in everything. Defensive shielding magic, offensive destroying magic and even a little bit of healing magic was all that what kept Vadam going.

His Blue mana magic had practically sunk to what White had been, he simply used it for three things. Teleportation, very useful, Invisibility, rather useful, and Blustersquall's, for when he needed to knock something back.

His Black mana magic was still prominent but he hadn't been able to use White mana without hurting himself for almost a decade and was running wild with it.

The bat was simply gone but the bright flash had lit up the room, and blasted a hole in the roof, and the brightness caused the rest of them to attack.

Vadam blasted a few but using White mana just made more of them appear, Vadam decided to simply throw up a shield to try and conserve mana for the guardian. He ran through the flying sea of bats as they screeched, and flapped, and bit and clawed at the shield, but it held firm.

Vadam ran, but the screeching was getting louder and his shield wasn't stopping them. "Ah!" The sound was getting extreme and Vadam could see nothing but the luminescent glow of his shield being blackened by an endless swarm of bats.

"GAH ENOUGH!" Vadam couldn't even hear himself yell out but the bats certainly felt his intention. He blasted the bats with a supercharged Death Wind. He was being covered by the ash of the bats but nothing more substantial than that was hitting him.

The screeching began to quiet as his spell killed them and soon there was nothing but a panting Vadam. He had used almost all his Black mana to defeat the bats and was feeling the exhaustion from it.

The castle was still really dark but Vadam had blasted a few holes in the roof and so he could still see. He took a breath and tried to draw in Black mana, it was an odd feeling, like trying to breathe where there was no air. His metaphorical diaphragm trying to pull down but with nothing to draw in.

Still he could feel it moving and so Vadam began to follow.

The path led him downwards, he quickly found a suspicious looking stairway and began walking down it. The feeling began getting stronger just as Vadam was attacked again.

A low moaning sound was all that prepared him before he was rushed by a group of the lumpy, things that Bolas had created. He hadn't drawn his sword against the bats but these creatures had shown themselves to be vulnerable to its powers. It was a rain of dust as Vadam spun, each step came with a slash and with each slash the creatures exploded in earthy dust.

Vadam began feeling dizzy so he was forced to stop spinning, his dizziness robbed him off all of his sense and one of the creatures tackled him.

It began slamming his head into the ground as more jumped on him to create a dogpile. Ironically the dogpile prevented it from slamming his head further, but the weight was robbing him of the livings need to breath.

Vadam teleported.

Two of the things on him went with him, but upon appearing he slammed a double Blustersquall into the ground, the lift boosting him up and knocking them off him. His back made a loud crack at the motion and Vadam winced, his legs still worked showing that his back wasn't too damaged.

Vadam blew up the dogpile with a Smite the Monstrous and destroyed the remaining two that he had knocked off him.

With that over with, Vadam scratched his neck and continued on. For a brief moment he considered how a normal person would be acting in this situation, he decided that it wasn't something to be thinking about now and pushed it out of his head.

He reached the dungeons of the castle and made his way through an uncomfortably tight passageway, happy that he didn't have claustrophobia, Vadam exited the passageway and found himself led to a trap door.

" _Typical,"_ Vadam rolled his eyes and teleported through the door and appeared, mid-air. He fell and landed on some steps, the momentum caused him to lose his footing and he slipped. Vadam was forced to throw up a shield to preserve himself as he bounced down the steps.

Eventually he rolled to a stop. Dizzy, he stood and looked around. It was so dark, that if the darkness was reversed to light he would go blind.

Vadam blindly walked around until he found a door, he touched something slimy but ignored it and forced it open. He walked into a squishy area, the sound of his walking would have made a squeamish person flinch with every step. Vadam buried the nauseous feelings and walked along.

Finally he came through the other end. Another door blocked his path and Vadam blew it away with a flash of light. He briefly saw pulsating walls with the flash but was soon enveloped in darkness. He didn't feel very well, but Vadam buried that feeling too and finally made it to the Manalith.

He walked into a darkened area which immediately lit up with several whooshes, torches caught fire, Vadam looked back to see a normal looking pathway and shook his head _"Psychological nonsense,"_ he looked forward and saw the jet black rock of the Manalith.

An unhallowed figure sat at the base of the Manalith. His shoulders were hunched and his bald head was bowed. His skin was the colour of death and a tattered robe covered his bony body.

Vadam walked forward carefully, he knew that the man had to know he was in the room but had made no reaction.

"All hail the Dark Lord…"

A broken voice cracked out from the man's lips as Vadam stood staring at him.

"Magic is might…"

Vadam was unsure of what to make of this situation _"I suppose it would make sense for Bolas to do this to him"._

The Dark Lord lifted his head and stared at Vadam whose breath caught in his throat.

"Before there was Tom Riddle there was me… Gellert Grindelwald".

Grindelwald stood and a wand was clutched in his dead hand "Before there was me… before Morgana… there was Bolas," Vadam's mouth went dry as he stared at Grindelwald "I thought… I thought that my refusal of Riddle would finally allow me peace… that I could do one good thing for the best man that I knew… but Bolas," Grindelwald spat Bolas' name with a curse "decided that I did not deserve rest… did not deserve peace. So now I stand here, waiting eternally for you… Aimeus Kartika Vadam".

Vadam drew his sword as Grindelwald descended the short steps leading to the Manalith "I am promised freedom with your end Vadam".

Grindelwald suddenly chuckled, a horrible raspy sound from his dead throat "I always wanted life eternal and now that I have it… I see that Dumbledore was right".

Vadam barely teleported in time to dodge a deadly spell from the risen wizard, the sickly yellow spell struck the wall where Vadam was once in front of and melted, the two torches near the wall went out as the spell past them.

"I see you Vadam," Grindelwald spoke despite Vadam standing behind him. Suddenly lashes of pure darkness tied Vadam's feet down and began pulling him into the stone "Ah what!?" Grindelwald turned slowly, his body being decrepit and dead.

"The Lord Bolas has bestowed upon me many new abilities. One, being mastery of Black mana… your magic," Grindelwald raised his arm and the shadows began pulling him in faster "Gah, NO!" Vadam slammed his palm down onto the stone of the ground and pumped pure White mana into the stone.

He was expelled and Grindelwald gasped in pain. He was sent flying into the air and landed with a crunch "Impressive… you have learned new things during your absence," Grindelwald could have been speaking to his wand for all his gaze would suggest.

Vadam scrambled to his feet and grabbed his sword "You are now undead Grindelwald. I know exactly how to destroy you," Vadam decided to try something new. From his understanding of the magic the wizards harnessed, was that the magic came from you instead from other sources. He was lucky enough to have been born with such a source, although he wasn't entirely sure how, and thanks to Hogwarts, could harness it.

Without a wand apparently, was next to impossible and what little could be done was unfocused but Vadam also knew that the magic didn't come from the wand, it simply focused it.

Combining mana magic with core magic training Vadam pointed his obsidian sword at Grindelwald and said "Grisly Spectacle!" The spell flowed through his sword and was amplified by the dual purposes of the sword. The death spell struck Grindelwald, amplified by Erebos' curse and tore a scream out of him as the spell tore at his body.

Satisfied that his plan worked Vadam began casting spell after spell "Doom Blade!" Unfortunately that still didn't work "Death Wind!" That spell did work and several large chunks of Grindelwald disintegrated "Bombarda!" He tried out a core spell and was pleased to see that his sword could work like a wand "Reducto!" The blasting spell blowing a hole through Grindelwald.

Unfortunately for all his attacks the spells hadn't really hurt the zombie wizard, simply aggravated him "Is that all you have to offer?" Confused and rather terrified that his spells didn't even seem to have chipped at the necromantic bonds sustaining Grindelwald, Vadam could barely avoid the spells Grindelwald threw back at him.

The Dark Lord was a master at his spellwork. Each spell triggered the next in a sort of death rhythm. As Vadam teleported an explosion from the previous would either cloud the place, making it harder to see the next one, or would send a shockwave that he was sensitive to, scrambling his thought process.

Each of Grindelwald's spells were getting closer and closer until the inevitable happened "Ah AH!" Vadam was hit. And from it Grindelwald didn't let up. With a non-teleporting target Grindelwald focused each of his deadly rhythm of spells to strike Vadam in order.

He was slammed by a spell of darkness.

That sent him into a wall of magical fire.

This caused him to stagger into the path of a spell that struck him with enough force to blow him straight into the Manalith.

He slid down the Manalith only to be smashed back into it with robes of darkness binding him.

A near-perfect display of combining mana and core magic's together to create a deadly web, one he was unable to escape.

The back of Vadam's head was bleeding slightly, against the fire he was able to throw up a shield but a lot of the heat had made it through. This shield had stopped him from cracking his head open but he still had a headache.

"It is truly a curse. One who cannot die and you are fortunate enough to not suffer like I have had".

Grindelwald raised his wand to end Vadam but his words had struck something in him "Suffering?" Vadam weakly spoke out against the restraints and Grindelwald hesitated, allowing him to say his thing "You don't know my story and I don't know yours, but I know suffering".

Vadam blazed all the White mana he could muster and shattered the restraints and blew Grindelwald back "I know Suffering. And soon YOU WILL ALSO!" Vadam threw his hand out and cast "REBUKE!" The minor holy spell burned into Grindelwald and he screamed as the spell began to attack the necromantic bonds that sustained him.

"You and I could have been a lot alike. REBUKE!" He struck him with another Rebuke and Grindelwald gasped out "How can you be doing this?" Vadam smirked "I reversed my undeadness, DIVINE WRATH!" A beam of pure white blew Grindelwald into the melted wall, but he still stood.

"Then you are vulnerable. Avada Kadavra!" The killing curse sped towards Vadam, sickly green in its luminescent glow.

He teleported to avoid it.

Vadam reappeared next to Grindelwald and grabbed his broken body and threw him towards the Manalith "You are not powerful. You are weak!" Vadam may have cursed Erebos for manipulating him like he did but he couldn't deny how nice it felt to actually be alive.

Grindelwald staggered but caught himself and pointed his wand at Vadam "Avada-" Vadam cut his hand off.

His grey hand and wooden wand fell to the floor and Vadam stopped both under his boot "NO!" Grindelwald finally rose his voice in a cry and Vadam was blasted away in a wave of darkness. He threw up a shield to protect his head as he smacked the roof and managed to fall to the ground as the darkness continued, blasting its way through the castle.

Vadam landed hard but forced himself to his feet, Grindelwald was standing, glaring at him "You will suffer as you die," his venomous words didn't affect Vadam in the least.

Vadam took a step forward and noticed a ray of moonlight, looking forward he noted that Grindelwald also was bathed in moonlight. The spell Grindelwald cast had broken forth into the night.

Vadam smirked.

"Maybe, but probably not since I never intend to die," Grindelwald scoffed and raised his other hand to cast something. Vadam was already there "SMITE THE MONSTROUS!" Grindelwald's spell was cut off by a scream of pain from the risen lord, Vadam pumped all the White mana he had into his second most powerful White spell. The moon of Earth flashed as the moonlight became a force of destruction against the evils of the world and Grindelwald screamed, screamed as the spell blew straight through him and burnt away the Manalith.

Vadam's spell cut off as he exhausted his mana resources.

Grindelwald still stood.

Vadam couldn't tell if he had simply died again like that or if he still lived his shallow reflection of life. He took a careful step forward and Grindelwald spoke "This world faces peril greater than any in the history books. Greater than the World War I caused. Greater than the war Riddle is causing. What makes you think you stand any chance?"

Vadam stopped in front of the Lich and spoke "Because I refuse," Grindelwald made a sound that was probably a laugh and his head moved, cracking his neck "Dumbledore refused to let me win. To let Riddle win. A good man," he continued making weak chuckling noises, despite his entire body being moments away from destruction.

"You can't kill me you know," Vadam stared at the man "My will, will always preserve me. I can't face death, I fear it simply too much, I-" Vadam cut him off by stabbing him with the blade forged by death.

"Enough Grindelwald".

The man in constant pain stared up at Vadam with almost wonder in his glassy, destroyed eyes "I can die?"

Vadam nodded and Grindelwald made a shuddering sound as the magic of the blade did its work, his body crumbled as he whispered "Thankyou".

Vadam stared at the dust that was once a dark lord, before stepping over it and walked to the remains of the Manalith. He looked down into the hole it made and breathed a sigh in relief _"I stopped my spell in time,"_ Within the hole laid a diamond like stone, exactly like the one he found from the Blue Manalith "The powerstone," He grabbed it and quickly placed it in his pocket Plane. He had almost cracked into the confines of the Blue one and with it all the Blue mana he could hope to use.

Vadam cast the remains of Grindelwald one last look as he considered how the two of them were similar _"Fear of death… interesting,"_ He decided that he would look up Grindelwald after this whole affair was over.

* * *

 **And that is where the chapter shall end. So just for clarification I mainly follow the books for cannon material as in the books Grindelwald refused to tell Voldemort where the Elder Wand was. And who thought it was Grindelwald? I bet some of you thought it was Voldemort from the beginning description. Anyway fun chapter a trip down memory lane to finally see how Vadam's spark ignited, at first I wasn't going to include it but then I thought** _ **"When else will I get a good place?"**_ **And I couldn't think of a better place.**

 **The fourth chapter will be the final large chapter, then it is an epilogue so chapter three vs. Grindelwald is now over and the fourth chapter will be the Battle of Hogwarts… and the battle against Bolas.**


	4. The Battle of Hogwarts Vadam vs Bolas

**And so here we are, chapter four of Vadam's Retribution, the Battle of Hogwarts, the Battle against Bolas, Vadam's Retribution for the death of Nox, yada, yada, yada. Three interesting facts about this series. Vadam's battle against Voldemort in the Ministry was the very first thing that ever occurred to me. Nox's death was the second and the reason why I decided to write this story. The battle against Bolas was the third and the thing I have focused on the most.**

 **I can only hope I have done this battle justice and I hope that I don't disappoint anyone. Oh and because it'll come up in the chapter and I won't have a place to explain it. Life force is different to soul force. Life force is regenerative and feeds the soul, if someone runs out of it, the soul is released and they die. Soul force is simply the part of the soul that can be weaponised by Animancy.**

 ***Vadam has greyish blue eyes… funnily enough the same colour you would get if you mixed Black/White, so grey, with Blue. And I really only realised that now***

* * *

Vadam had returned to civilisation after his victory over Grindelwald. He felt the rare feeling of hopefulness _"I know it takes upwards of a year to create a Manalith…"_ He was hopeful that his little information on Manalith's were correct and that Bolas wouldn't have time to create any new ones.

It was the first of May, and night had fallen when Vadam finally returned to Hogsmeade. Death Eaters were running about the place, Vadam was hidden underneath an Invisibility enchantment as they shouted to each other _"So Potter is here… interesting,"_ Vadam could feel mana flowing through the area freely as he walked the streets. He took a nice deep breath as he looked around for the Hogs Head.

Spotting it Vadam quickly walked up to it and teleported within.

Aberforth stood, still greasing his mugs with that frightfully filthy rag "So you survived," His gruff voice reached Vadam's ears despite the wizard not looking up from his mug.

Aberforth set the glass down as Vadam walked up to him and looked up "Yes," it was an answer clearly not necessary, but Aberforth nodded anyway.

They stood in silence for a few moments until Vadam asked "I've been hearing Death Eaters speaking of Harry Potter…" The question was left in the air for a few more moments until Aberforth said "Butterbeer or Firewhisky?" Vadam caught the hidden message pretty quickly and answered "Butterbeer," with confidence.

Aberforth nodded "Good. Cause you still owe me for that Butterbeer," Vadam looked at the man in almost amusement before sighing and reaching into his pocket Plane. He called a bag of money to him and drew a pile of gold coins out of nowhere "Keep the change," Vadam set the money down on the filthy bar and Aberforth grabbed them.

"Go to them," Vadam nodded and walked into the small lounge behind the curtain. No one was in the room when Vadam entered.

Vadam looked to the painting of the girl who nodded and quickly retreated from her painting. It didn't take long for her to return. "VADAM!" A badly bruised Neville jumped out of the passageway and gave Vadam a strong hug.

"You're alive! You're alive! Thank the gods!" Vadam returned the hug awkwardly until Neville pulled out of it. "Neville what happened?" Vadam gasped at the state of his friend. He had large gashes on his face, his robes were torn and he had two black eyes and one of them was swollen yellow "Oh this? Harry, Ron and Hermione reacted the same way, this is nothing".

Vadam barely got out a "Wait? What?" Before Neville nodded to Aberforth "Still more I'm guessing," and pulled Vadam into the passageway.

"So have you done it? I mean destroyed the Manalith's?" Neville spoke quickly and excitedly and Vadam was pleased to not disappoint him "Yes, I took down Tezzeret, Ramaz and the Dark Lord Grindelwald," That gave Neville a start and he almost tripped "Grindelwald?" Vadam nodded at Neville's amazed look "Bolas rose him as a Lich and I destroyed him using my knowledge of Lich's".

Neville nodded "Right since you were one," Neville suddenly smiled hugely "Oh and Harry, Ron and Hermione saved Luna!" Vadam spun to him with a wild look "Really?" Neville nodded "Yes! She sent me a message not too long ago and they told me when they arrived a few minutes ago".

Vadam beamed, it was news he was so grateful to hear and was considering giving them a hug once he saw them.

Vadam and Neville entered the Room of Requirement to witness a bustling armada of people. Vadam barely saw any of them. Who he did see was a short, dirtly blond haired girl looking over at the trio.

"LUNA!"

Luna turned to see Vadam waving and a great smile broke over her face "You're alright!" They both shouted and Vadam tore from Neville to give his friend a strong hug "Ooh, your choking me," Vadam loosened his grip to allow her to breathe again "Thank whatever needs to be thanked for this".

Vadam couldn't help it but his vison went a little blurry again. Nox would tease him a little about being such a cry baby but Vadam didn't care.

"You're back!" Another cry reached Vadam's ears and he lifted his head to see the Gryffindor trio staring at him in wonder "Yeah I'm back and I'll stop Bolas," He wasn't entirely sure how much everyone knew about the dragon, but the three nodded.

Luna pulled from the hug and stared at Vadam "How could you just run?" It hurt his heart and he bowed his head, Luna grabbed his head and lifted it "Well you're back now," she gave a kiss to the top of his head and Vadam smiled.

"Ok we really have to go now Luna," Harry's voice cut across their reunion and Vadam glared "What? Why?" Luna smiled "Harry needs to find something that is lost, I'm going to help him," Vadam turned back to Neville who shrugged "She got here and then I had to go and get you".

Luna was already waving goodbye to Vadam and Neville as Harry threw a cloak over the two of them. Once they had disappeared Vadam looked around awkwardly "So… what's going on?" Several people tried to answer at once, making nothing bar an unintelligible sound.

"No. what? Eh? Wait, STOP!"

Vadam's shout managed to silence the crowd and he turned to Ron and Hermione "Can one of you answer me?" They looked deeply uncomfortable but Hermione opened her mouth to explain "We are on a secret mission from Dumbledore. We can't tell you anything more than we are looking for several things crucial to defeating… You-Know-Who".

Vadam nodded and silence reined for a moment before asking "What are you looking for?" Ron and Hermione exchanged looks for a moment "The lost diadem of Ravenclaw".

Vadam nodded "Alright".

He noticed Fred and George to the side and was painfully reminded of Nox. Still he walked over to the two of them "So it's been a while since we've talked," The twins turned to him and simultaneous smiles broke on their face.

"Well hello," Began one twin.

"Good sir Vadam," ended the other.

"We were so disappointed"

"To hear that you waited until"

"After we left"

"To reveal you were an alien".

Vadam scoffed slightly "Yes alien".

"Great!" The twins spoke at once "So glad you agree".

"But it was even worse"

"To hear that you"

"Hid a super fun side"

"Deep within"

"Can we meet him?" They spoke those four words at once and Vadam's heart thumped painfully. He figured that he should have expected that "He uh… he died," Vadam looked to the ground, missing the twins shocked expressions "Oh, our condolences," Vadam nodded but no longer felt like sticking around the twins.

He walked over to Neville and sat down on a chair. Neville looked down at him before looking over to Ron and Hermione. His eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed until he gave a start "Vadam!" He looked up to the alarmed Neville "Yes?" Neville began gesturing wildly "The diadem from when you were here last…"

Vadam nodded before realisation lit up in his eyes "Oh right," Vadam opened his pocket Plane and called the object to him. He drew his sword and spoke "Wingaurdium Leviosa!" Neville stared, impressed as Vadam levitated the diadem out of the pocket Plane "Hey!" He called over to Ron and Hermione "Is this it?" They looked to the floating object and the room went completely silent.

"…What?" They two walked up to it and checked it, several Ravenclaws crept up to and gasped "What?" Vadam shrugged "I was here a while ago and it was in that really cluttered room, I could sense it so I took it… are you alright".

Ron and Hermione seemed speechless in shock "What?" The twins spoke up "That seems to be a popular opinion today," A few people chuckled and Vadam was feeling uncomfortable with all the attention "So… do you want it?"

That seemed to inspire life to the pair again and they exchanged a look before saying "Get that to Harry. NOW!" Vadam started and jumped to his feet "Alright," he jogged to the exit and gave Neville a wave "See you soon".

Still holding his sword and levitating the Horcrux, Vadam left the room of requirement and went off running.

He ran until he met a crossroads and paused "Wait…" he realised that he had no idea where he was going. Vadam stored the diadem back into his pocket Plane and sheathed his sword. Vadam considered going back but then everything went to hell.

He heard footsteps approaching and threw up and Invisibility enchantment just in time to avoid McGonagall from seeing him. Vadam relaxed and was about to lower it when McGonagall tensed, she spoke "Who's there?"

A low voice answered her immediately "It is I".

Professor Snape revealed himself and Vadam glared at the man "Where are the Carrows?" He soflty asked McGonagall who stiffly replied "Wherever you told them to be, I expect, Severus.

The sallow man stepped closer and he looked to a patch of air "I was under the impression that Alecto had apprehended an intruder".

"Really," McGonagall jabbed back "and what gives you that impression?" Snape lifted his cloak's sleeve and revealed the Dark Mark, twisting as it shown black "Ah," McGongall said "I forgot that you Death Eaters have your own private means of communication".

Snape seemed to ignore her words as his eyes flicked from McGonagall to the patch of air beside her "I did not know that it was your night to patrol the corridors, Minerva".

McGonagall nearly sneered at him "You have some objection?"

"I wonder what could have brought you out of bed at this late hour?"

"I thought I heard a disturbance," Professor McGonagall was matching Snape's inquiries but he didn't seem convinced.

"Really? But all seems calm".

He stared her in the eyes.

"Have you seem Potter, Minerva? Because if you have, I must insist-"

She moved faster than Vadam could track. In a flash her wand slashed through the air and Vadam was certain it was over. Snape was faster than he looked though and his shield charm was strong enough that McGonagall was thrown off balance.

McGonagall pointed her wand at a torch and a ring of flame poured out of it, a lasso that was sent at Snape. But suddenly it was no longer fire but a great black snake that McGonagall blasted to smoke, which reformed and solidified into a swarm of pursuing daggers.

Snape avoided them by forcing a suit of armour in front of him, the daggers thumped against the steel of the armour before being cast away.

"Minerva!" A squeaky voice voiced behind him and Professors Flitwick and Sprout came sprinting at them in their night clothes, with that new Professor Slughorn panting behind them.

"No!" Squealed Flitwick, raising his wand "You'll do no more murder at Hogwarts!" Flitwick's spell animated the suit of armour and brought Snape into a bearhug. He struggled against its grip before sending it back at his attackers.

With all four heads of house against him Snape did the smart thing and turned around and jumped out the window. A great clash was subsumed by McGonagall's cry of "Coward! COWARD!"

Vadam came forward as Harry and Luna suddenly appeared out of thin air "You mean he's dead?" Harry spoke in response to McGonagall's thoughts on the matter.

She shook his head "He's not dead," she spoke it rather bitterly "It seems that he has learned a few tricks from his master".

Sprout, Flitwick and Slughorn were still getting over their shock of Harry and Luna's sudden appearance when Vadam appeared out of nowhere "Oh good heavens!" Slughorn shouted at Vadam's appearance and the floor thumped as his great weight landed.

"Professor Vadam?" The four heads of house were looking at him strangely "So what just happened?" He was ignoring the looks of confusion and someone was about to respond when Harry shouted "Professor!" He was clutching his forehead in pain "Professor, we've got to barricade the school, he's coming now!"

"Very well, Voldemort is coming," The teachers gasped at McGonagall's words and Slughorn let out a small groan "There is no point in saying He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named now. He will try to kill all of us regardless. Potter has work to do in the castle on Dumbledore's orders. We need to put in place every protection of which we are capable while Potter does what he needs to do".

"You realise, or course, that nothing we do will be able to keep out… Voldemort indefinitely?" Squeaked Flitwick.

"But we can hold him up," Professor Sprout said with conviction.

"Thank you Pomona," nodded McGonagall, and between the two witches passed a look of grim understanding "I suggest we establish basic protection around the place, then gather our students and meet in the Great Hall. Most must be evacuated, though any of those who are of age, may wish to stay and fight, I think they ought to be given the chance".

"Agreed" Spoke the four teachers "I shall meet you in the Great Hall in twenty minutes with my house," Pomona Sprout said before running off.

"I can act from here", Came the voice of Flitwick and he immediately went to the smashed window and began muttering incantations of great complexity. A rumbling, whooshing sound occurred, as if Flitwick was summoning the wind.

Harry went to Flitwick and began badgering him about the diadem before Vadam's mental processes caught up with him.

"The time has come for Slytherin House to decide upon its loyalties," Argued McGonagall with Slughorn "Go wake your students, Horace," Slughorn stumbled off as Harry and Luna ran up to Vadam and McGonagall.

"Students out of bed! Students out of bed!" Shouted Filch as he hobbled up to them "They're supposed to be, you blithering idiot," Snapped McGonagall as the caretaker had interrupted one of her spells "Now go do something constructive! Find Peeves!"

"P-Peeves?" Stammered the confused caretaker "Yes Peeves, you fool, Peeves! Haven't you been complaining about him for a quarter of a century? Go and fetch him, at once!" Filch hobbled off muttering under his breath as McGonagall completed her final spell "Piertotum Locomotor!" All along the corridor the statues and suits of armour sprang to life and from echoing crashing from above and below Vadam knew that all of them had been animated.

"Hogwarts is threatened!" Cried McGonagall "Man the boundries, protect us, uphold your duty to our school!" Vadam was wowed by the feat of magic and barely caught a giddy "I've always wanted to do that spell," That McGonagall said under her breath.

"Now Potter," said McGonagall as she turned to face them "you and Miss Lovegood must return to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall. I shall rouse the other Gryffindor's".

Vadam felt like too many things were happening at once and was about to interrupt when he felt something. Something bad.

Harry and Luna ran off as McGonagall turned to him "And you shall assist us in this battle, Vadam?" Vadam turned to her and swallowed the saliva in his mouth to answer "I will. But I don't think you understand what level," she stared at him "Well out with it!" She snapped and Vadam felt like he was a student again.

He swallowed again and spoke "Bolas is here".

McGonagall stilled and gave him a cursory look before sighing "Yes I had feared as much," They were walking upwards to the Gryffindor common room "Can you stall him at all or is this battle simply for naught?" Vadam gave her what he hoped was a confident look "I have destroyed the three objects that would make Bolas undefeatable. So yes, I can stall him and I also may be able to defeat him".

McGonagall had a relieved look and she questioned him as the ascended the stairs "How so? I was under the impression that this Planeswalker was unstoppable," Vadam shook his head "Bolas is a mastermind, insanely powerful and a near-perfect chessmaster. But, he and I are somewhat similar and I knew that he would join the final battle".

McGonagall nodded "How?" Vadam shook his head "He enjoys being dramatic. Even with his Manalith's destroyed he is still an enormous threat but his power is now limited. He will wait too, wait until the battle begins, to make his move".

Vadam stopped at a window and told McGonagall that he was going to cast a protection spell. McGonagall nodded and quickly walked off as Vadam stared into the night. A clock was ticking, it was nearing midnight, May the second would be midnight.

Vadam took a deep breath before speaking "Moenia de Negatio!" He rose both arms as White and Blue mana surged through his form, he spoke his mass defensive spell and from him came a massive, translucent wall. He pumped more and more mana into it to cover all of Hogwarts.

Vadam lowered his arms slowly and was forced to grab the windowsill to steady himself, the Wall of Denial was up. Vadam turned away from the window as a great, booming chuckle thundered through the school and pierced his heart.

"You cannot hide"

Nicol Bolas' deep voice boomed through the hearts of all who stood within Hogwarts' walls but it held firm. Vadam didn't spare the window another look as he walked downwards, heading for the Great Hall.

He had broken into the Blue and Black powerstones that he had liberated from the Manalith's and was ready to face Bolas.

 **######**

Vadam stood amongst the teachers of the Head Table listening to McGonagall's speech "… evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges, in an orderly fashion, to the evacuation point".

Many of the students looked petrified and Vadam couldn't blame them, he was almost relieved that he was standing as he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stand again if he sat down.

A student rose and shouted "And what if we want to stay and fight?" There was a smattering of applause "If you are of age, you may stay," Answered Professor McGonagall "What about our things?" Shouted another student "Our trunks and our owls?"

"There is no time to collect possessions," McGonagall nearly snapped "The important thing is to get you out of here safely".

"Where's Professor Snape?" Shouted a Slytherin and McGonagall quickly said "He has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk," Cheers erupted from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw but no Slytherin dared to look happy.

Vadam noticed Harry wandering through the crowd as McGonagall continued speaking "We have already placed a protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefor, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects-"

She was cut off by a different voice, drowning out all other sounds "I know you are preparing to fight," The voice whispered but it was as loud as anything. Several people screamed as Voldemort's voice crept through the Great Hall "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood".

There was silence in the Great Hall, deafening silence that presses against the eardrums "Give me Harry Potter," spoke Voldemort's voice "and none shall be harmed. Give me harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded".

"You have until midnight"

The silence swallowed the school again as Voldemort's voice faded, every head had turned to look at Harry, holding him frozen under the gaze of hundreds.

Then a figure from the Slytherin table, Pansy Parkinson, rose and pointed at Harry "There he is! Potters there! GRAB HIM!"

As one, the students of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw stood. All of them with their backs to Harry and with wands facing the Slytherin table.

"Thank you Miss Parkinson," Said McGonagall in a clipped voice "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch, if the rest of your house could follow".

Each Slytherin stood and walked silently out of the Great Hall, Vadam glared at each and every one of them.

"Ravenclaws, follow on!" Most of the Ravenclaws, the underage ones and several of age ones moved to leave the Great Hall. Even more Hufflepuffs remained seated and half the Gryffindor table remained, forcing McGonagall to chivvy the underage ones out.

Once the room had been emptied a dark-skinned auror stood forward and addressed the remaining people "We've only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers – Ravenclaw, Astronomy and Gryffindor – where they will have a good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus; he indicated a scarred man, Arthur, he pointed to a red haired man Vadam was certain, a Weasley, and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organise defence of the entrances of the school-"

He was cut off by the Weasley twins standing and saying "Sounds like a job for us," Kingsley nodded his approval and continued "All right, leaders up here and we'll divide the groups".

"Potter!" McGonagall reminded Harry that he was supposed to be looking for something and Vadam tried to interject but Harry had already been lost in the crowd before h could speak. Cursing the people who continued cutting him off, McGonagall, he stepped forward onto the podium to speak.

"QUIET!"

He was forced to shout in order to be heard and all in the Great Hall quietened "Ok, thank you," McGonagall shot him a look that clearly said to hurry up or she'd gut him "On the battlefield a great golden dragon is sure to appear. I will fight him," Vadam affixed his patented glare on everyone "and I mean it. Bolas is my Voldemort," the Great Hall only flinched a little bit at the name "and like Harry, I am the only person fit to fight him. Anyone who tried to interfere and help me WILL be killed. Bolas doesn't like distractions-"

Vadam was cut off by a malevolent chuckling "All too proud Aimeus Kartika Vadam," Vadam looked about but his shield still held, he could feel it, "but he speaks the truth. Any who interfere shall perish," Bolas' ancient voice was inspiring as much fear as Voldemort's voice and as he spoke people shivered "Our battlefield will begin at the front of the castle. I shall be waiting".

Vadam staggered and almost collapsed as his shield was destroyed by a wave of a great golden claw, Neville caught him and steadied him "Vadam?" Vadam shook his head "I'm fine, I'll stop him. You all focus on your war, do not interfere with mine".

Vadam teleported to the entrance of the Great Hall and admired the force. The people who were strong enough to face down their tyrant; and borrowed some of their conviction for himself.

Vadam turned and went off running.

 **######**

He didn't have to run far.

The doors leading to the entranceway of Hogwarts were very close to the Great Hall. Vadam quickly slowed to a dramatic slow walk as he came across the final door. His heart was thumping hard and his breath was coming in short puffs. All he wanted to do was run away at the moment.

Vadam thought of Neville and Luna and his breathing began to even out. He thought of Nox, the way Nox teased him. The way Nox made him laugh. The way Nox would throw an arm around Vadam and make a funny face. He thought of how Nox kept him sane. How Nox kept him going.

Vadam opened the door.

His great golden wings were extended as Bolas stood.

Bolas watched as Vadam quietly closed the doors and walked slowly down the steps.

Vadam was staring at his old master, fear evident in his features, but also determination.

Vadam reached the bottom of the steps and walked towards Bolas.

Finally, there was only forty metres between them.

Vadam unsheathed his sword, the obsidian black blending in with the night.

Vadam heard a vague explosion from somewhere else as the Battle of Hogwarts began, but his senses were focused on Bolas.

"I must wonder…" Bolas' booming voice was strangely soft as he spoke "I knew you would return… but why? I do not know why you have returned".

Vadam reached into his pocket Plane and called forth the Blue and Black powerstones. He tapped into their powers and the two began to float before beginning to orbit Vadam.

"You have grown much since we parted Vadam…" Vadam glared up at the ancient face of Nicol Bolas as the ancient dragon seemed lost in thought "You. A man who would kill anyone, did kill anyone. Men… woman… children… you killed all who would not submit. You cared for no one, you would sacrifice yourself for no one… so why have you returned?"

Vadam sensed more Black and Blue mana than he could possibly hold within his body, surging inside him as the orbiting powerstones began moving faster.

"We are so very similar Bolas…" Vadam spoke, looking up at the old dragon, "You ask me why I have returned to fight and yet… I cannot be certain if you have some other plans or backups, but I have destroyed your certainty," Bolas lifted his head as Vadam looked up at him "Your Manalith's! You couldn't have created any more of them in the times between my destroying of them, yet you are here".

Bolas snorted "And how does this make us similar?" Vadam smirked "Because we both enjoy the frivolities of things. We both enjoy acting dramatic, we both speak to our enemies in battle just so they know exactly how we have utterly crushed them. We both enjoy the theatrics of battle and I knew you couldn't help but join in on the deciding battle of Earth".

Vadam rose his hands and combined Black and Blue into a spell of utter destruction. Designed to annihilate the mind of what it strikes. He cast "Minds END!" Vadam couldn't help but speak the name of the spell out loud.

The powerstones flashed and began orbiting faster and faster until they began a deadly blur. From Vadam's hand came his supercharged Minds End spell, one that twisted and curled as it flew at Bolas.

Bolas waved his hand and his spell disappeared.

Vadam felt a wave of shock go through his system as Bolas admired one of his claws "Hmm. Cute," Bolas flicked his hand and Vadam was struck by a force that would have shattered him had he not teleported.

Vadam was hit with what was probably a hundredth of the spells force before he teleported. After reappearing, he was thrown backwards, and the part of Hogwarts where the spell continued, imploded.

Vadam coughed up blood as he rolled to a stop "Hmm, maybe you were wrong".

Vadam twisted to avoid another spell; this one burnt straight through the ground, tearing through the magic that had soaked into the grounds themselves.

Vadam teleported again to dodge a spell that caused the ground where he was to implode, before exploding in a flurry of soil and stone.

"What!?" Vadam was already wounded and winded.

Bolas turned to him with a satisfied smirk on his face "Whilst I'm sure it is a great ego boost to consider yourself similar to myself, I feel that I must dispel such foolish notions from my favourite pawn".

Vadam glared at the laughing beast "I stopped being your pawn a long time ago," Bolas suddenly exploded with laughter "HA! HA! HA! You of all people should know that no one ever truly escapes me. Although you had your chance and squandered it. So let us be done with the banter and simply tell me. Why do you fight me?"

Vadam still gripped his sword in his right hand and he raised his left "Why do you want to know?" Bolas went to answer and Vadam cast another spell. He simply flicked it to the side, letting his spell blow up several portions of the castle "I am simply curious. I am a very involved master, I want to know what makes my servants tick".

Vadam narrowed his eyes, inwardly he was shocked with how easily Bolas was stopping his spells, but outwardly he knew he had to show confidence "So you simply want to break me?"

Vadam knew how to read between the lines from his many years around Bolas and during Ravnica. Bolas chuckled "You make it sound so unpleasant," Vadam suddenly had a horrible dawning. It wasn't anything important to the battle but he realised where Nox had gotten the playful part of his personality.

"You ask why I fight Bolas," along with Nox, he realised how to fight Bolas.

Bolas moved his head forward interested "You murdered your own child," a sentence so abstract and shocking, Bolas didn't react in time and Vadam's next spell struck him in his armoured chest.

Bolas was knocked out of the sky and Vadam rushed forward. Bolas was roaring and twisting but Vadam had managed to do the near-impossible and had shocked him "YOU KILLED HIM!" Vadam was a mouse compared to Bolas but his blade wasn't.

Vadam stabbed his blade through Bolas' armour and into his chest. The dragon roared in pain as its magic affected him.

Vadam was suddenly blasted high into the sky "YOU LIE!" Vadam cast a Gift of Orzhova to give himself flight and barely avoided Bolas' claws. What he didn't avoid was a barrage of Red spells.

"AH!" He could barely scream as Grindelwald's assault seemed trivial compared to what Bolas was inflicting on him. Fire, force, lightning and stone all slammed into him, sending him high into the atmosphere.

Vadam called the Blue mana to him and forcefully cleared his mind. With his enhanced awareness, Vadam began parrying the spells. To the fire he called on Blue to douse it with water. When Bolas turned his rainstorm into lightning, he deflected it with his sword. Bolas used his distraction to fling force and stone at him but Vadam matched the force with his most powerful Blustersquall yet and blew the stone apart with weaponised Black mana.

He slowly began to fall and Vadam called up Black mana to heal his body at the cost of actual life force _"Ah it'll regenerate,"_ Vadam wasn't willing to use soul force just yet.

With his body repairing, Vadam fell. He cut off the Black magic as he was feeling woozy. He recast the Gift of Orzhova and the wings glittered as he fell with style.

Vadam fell into a glide and faced the furious face of Nicol Bolas "I do not lie," Vadam supercharged a Heroes Downfall and cast it through his sword "If the theatrics are over…" he left his words behind him in the air as he slammed his sword through the air.

A super focused jet of black arced through the air but Bolas simply waved it away "I have no family," Vadam pointed his sword and stretched his body straight. He fell like a needle at Bolas who suddenly reversed gravity.

Vadam was suddenly flying upwards "AH PARASELENE!" The moon flashed as it revealed the truth of the battlefield and gravity returned to normal. Bolas had disorientated Vadam enough that his needlepoint stab had been ruined.

"Blasphemous Act!" Vadam's senses allowed him to throw up a shield faster than he ever had in his life. It still didn't stop the spell and Vadam's body was barraged with thirteen separate forces from within his body. It was like someone had placed thirteen massive magnets in his body and decided to rip them out with more magnets.

Blood poured from enormous gashes in his body as Vadam desperately attempted to heal himself. If not for the shield's protection, he would have been simply torn apart. His life force was ebbing as he sacrificed it to heal his immediate wounds and his senses were beginning to leave him.

Vadam recast his enhanced awareness spell and cleared his thoughts. His wounds closed up and he cancelled his 'healing' spell.

Vadam landed feet first on the ground and it seemed for a moment he would collapse. Vadam forced he legs not to buckle and squeezed his sword.

"Do you not see Vadam," he raised his head as Bolas glided down to him "do not ever anger me". Bolas slashed his arm through the air but Vadam teleported.

Bolas grunted in irritation and Vadam thanked the powerstones, without them he would already be out of Black and Blue and be dead. He still hadn't touched his personal reserves of mana.

Vadam took a deep breath _"If I can simply survive he will exhaust his mana reserves… he has to,"_ Vadam's desperate thoughts were cut off by Bolas roaring something.

Hundreds of jets of Red flew at Vadam from all directions. He teleported to avoid them but they had been locked onto him. Several of the jets struck the ground and exploded but most of them followed him.

Vadam was forced to teleport repeatedly, to avoid them. He could see Bolas simply pulling his strings and leading him into a trap.

" _The only time I was able to strike him was when I surprised him,"_ Blue, Black and Red made up Bolas' colour pie. He was worldly intelligent and cunning beyond all measures. He could even create new plans and actions in seconds.

Bolas fought by calculating all moves his opponent would make and preparing actions to drive them into digging their own graves.

Vadam didn't teleport.

Vadam used Blue to give him a temporary feeling of time slowing down. He could see hundreds of outcomes now, if just for a split second, Vadam's mind was on the level of Bolas' sleeping mind.

Vadam used a spark of White mana to cast a shield and fuelled it with Black and Blue mana.

Not quite as powerful as a pure White shield but Vadam continued fuelling it to replace any damage the jet explosions caused.

Vadam weathered the spell and lashed out "Lustrous Purge!" The dust and voltages of crackling red were blown away by a beam of solid White.

This was something Bolas hadn't expected that Vadam would do and the beam disintegrated his armour as it blew him back.

Vadam had used mostly White mana in his spell and therefor had exhausted most of it. The payment was worth it, as Bolas had been injured and shocked by his spell.

There was a massive crash as Bolas landed and Vadam cast another Gift of Orzhova in an attempt to continue the assault.

Bolas had landed in the middle of the wizards war and had recovered well before Vadam caught up. "Impressive. I would expect nothing less from you," Vadam cursed and Bolas raised his arms and cast a wide area spell on top of a summoning spell.

The Death Eaters suddenly had their power amplified and hundreds, upon hundreds of the knarled, ugly, lumpy creatures appeared and began swarming the Hogwarts defence "How is this Vadam? Your side is on the losing end," Vadam cursed Bolas' name as the individual Death Eaters and snatchers began overpowering groups of students and Order members.

"RETREAT!" Vadam screamed to the Hogwarts defence. They actually followed his command. Bolas had taken advantage of his scream and smacked him with a simple force spell, sending him cannonballing into a pile of people.

Vadam couldn't be certain who he hit as he careened into people but wasn't overly injured. He'd thrown up a shield to protect himself after he was swatted.

He was still dizzy and disorientated after he rolled to a stop and Vadam was barely able to get to his feet to avoid another spell. The ground around him exploded in an enormous ripple and Vadam was thrown back again "DON'T INTERFERE!" Bolas suddenly roared and someone screamed, Ramaz.

Bolas almost broke the lesser walker for attacking Vadam and he used that to his advantage and righted his system.

Bolas flung Ramaz away to face Vadam who raised his arms in a cry "DEBT TO THE DEATHLESS!" Vadam pumped more Black mana into this spell than any he had done through the battle and the black powerstone thrummed loudly as it was tapped.

Vadam's spell struck every single participant in a hundred metre radius, including Bolas, life force was drained and added to Vadam's from every person the spell hit.

Which was a lot of people.

People collapsed screaming as Vadam drained them of the energy to live. His spell failed to actually kill anyone but Death Eaters, along with Hogwarts defence, collapsed as he drained them. Bolas roared as his own life energy was sapped and blew Vadam back, ending the spell.

The spell had revitalised him though and Vadam had the energy to continue fighting.

"You think you're impressive," Bolas' biting voice caused all who heard it to flinch. Including Vadam, but he straightened and smirked at him "I don't think it. I know it".

Bolas laughed again and rose his left arm "You think that doing random actions will throw me for long. Let me show you true chaos".

Vadam felt dread settle in his stomach but he couldn't stop it as a crackling convexity of power began storming around Bolas' clawed hand.

"SCRAMBLEVERSE!"

Possibly the most powerful chaos spell of them all came with a gravity none could resist.

Every. Single. Battler in the area was drawn into the spell as time itself slowed to a halt. All but Bolas himself were sucked into the ball of convexity before everyone was expelled.

Every spot a battler once stood, was now replaced as time restarted. The injured appeared on the battlefield, as Death Eaters appeared in the hospital wing. Spiders and giants appeared on the battlements of the castle and quickly fell off.

The battle plans of Kingsley had been destroyed by Bolas' spell as in a moment faster than an eye blink, everyone was somewhere else with other people.

Bolas laughed as Vadam appeared in mid-air, replacing a broom rider, and began to fall. He quickly cast a Gift to give him flight and decided to retry his needlepoint attack.

Flying faster and faster at the laughing Bolas, Vadam prepared to skewer him. But changed his mind in a flash. He had realised that Bolas probably knew what he was doing and just as Bolas began to twist Vadam altered his fall.

"AAAHHHHH!"

Bolas roared in pain as Vadam sliced the end of his tail right off. Dark red ichor poured from the stump at the end of his tail and Bolas felt real pain for the first time in centuries.

Vadam ducked into a roll and landed, harshly, on the ground "ARGH!" Bolas seared the end of his tail to stop further bleeding and cast an inferno of a spell "DECREE OF ANNIHILATION!"

The sky turned red and the land began to explode as one of the most dangerous spells of all began to ravage Hogwarts.

Vadam took to the air to avoid the exploding land and had to weave and fly upwards many times to avoid explosions of fire and molten soil. The red sky was actually fire and anyone in the air was incinerated as Bolas raged against the world.

Vadam was flying at Bolas when suddenly he heard something speak. It didn't speak with words or even sounds but something spoke and the Decree of Annihilation ended.

Even Bolas seemed confused but the landscape was still ravaged and many people had died in his attack. Vadam didn't want to consider the idea that it was any of his friends.

Bolas was still confused as to why his spell had stopped, but Vadam was flying at him, needlepointed again and so he took action.

Bolas altered gravity again but this time he caused the general area to magnify in gravity and Vadam was slammed against the ground.

"Die!"

Bolas' roar of a voice slammed into Vadam with physical force, as if his body was being pinned to the ground by his own personal hurricane. His sword was torn from his grip and flew away "gAH! ENOUGH!" Vadam didn't know much counter magic but the one useful thing he did know was "Psychic Barrier!" Bolas' spell was cut off by a cry of pain from the Elder Dragon as the force shield took effect.

It broke instantly, but the moment of relief it gave him, was enough to teleport.

Vadam appeared stomach down on the ground several dozen meters back but he quickly clambered to his feet as Bolas came forth. Vadam summoned his sword, hoping it would work like his old sword Cortana and was pleased to feel a tug.

The sword flew, handle first, through the air towards him and Vadam made the mistake of reaching out a hand to grab it.

Without looking, Bolas flicked his claw and the sword shattered as it flew by him. Vadam's eyes widened as a cry of "NO!" Tore from his throat but the weapon that could break through Bolas' impenetrable scales was broken with only a shard of it making it back to him.

Vadam flung the now useless weapon into his pocket Plane and went to teleport.

Unfortunately Bolas was faster and Vadam was surrounded by a pitch sphere before it released him.

He teleported upon being released but suddenly found it using his own stores of Blue mana. He desperately looked to his sides but his powerstones were no longer orbiting him. He looked up to Bolas as he landed. The dragon had a most smug look on his ancient face and hovering in each claw, held with darkness, were his powerstones.

"Your choice Vadam," The dragons evil voice spoke to him as Vadam glared "Blue," he held the right claw forward "or Black," he held the other one forward.

Vadam gritted his teeth as he heard the truth. Bolas wasn't telling him which one he would be saving. Vadam looked between defence, Blue, and power, Black, and swallowed "Blue," Bolas clasped his hand around the Blue powerstone and Vadam's heart leapt into his throat.

The Black powerstone shattered.

Bolas released his other clawed hand and the Blue powerstone returned to him _"Thank any gods bar the Theros ones,"_ Vadam didn't want to seem relieved but he really needed the Blue one. It was the only thing keeping him alive so far.

"Good choice Vadam"

Bolas smirked and Vadam cursed, he may have his defensive colour but Black fuelled his most powerful spells and now he could barely scratch Bolas with the spells that he wouldn't bother countering.

Bolas rose both arms as a maniacal grin occurred on his face "Ever felt the mixture of death and doom?" Vadam felt a moment of dread, which he was rather used to by this point, spike in his stomach as Bolas called up the spirits of all he had killed with his Decree. Bolas infused Black with Red as he formed the power of Animancy with the creation of sheer energy.

Vadam knew he had to act exactly correct in the next moment.

With the thought of the Therosian gods still in his mind, Vadam cast a reanimation spell just as Bolas fired his death, doom beam of deadly doom.

Vadam reanimated the body of a fallen giant with the Fated Return and magically pulled it into the way of Bolas' spell.

Vadam bent fate to his will as necromancy met necromancy.

Bolas laughed insanely into the rushing wind as Vadam's indestructible giant blocked the beam of pure death. Shockwaves were causing what little land that remained unblown up to be torn up and Vadam was being pushed back, closer and closer to shockwaves that would kill him by the sheer gravitational output the spell was causing.

Somehow Vadam's shield trumped Bolas' sword and the spell faded. The sheer impact had re-killed the fatesworn zombie and Vadam simply let it drop.

He had exhausted his Black mana and had even made a noticeable dent in the Blue of his powerstone.

Vadam turned around and sprinted for the castle.

He threw up three separate coloured shields around him as he ran and he barely weathered the spells Bolas flung at his turned back.

Vadam literally flew up the steps with a Gift of Orzhova and fled into the castle. He wasn't sticking to the outside of the battlefield if Bolas was going to do another one of those spells.

Bolas simply snorted and flew after Vadam. Utilising a special form of magic, Bolas altered his size until he could comfortably follow Vadam without having to waste energy blowing up the castle (He can actually do that in cannon too) and entered.

Vadam didn't know about that useful little piece of Bolas' magic and was slammed into a wall by a blast of magic. He smacked face first into the wall and his nose began pouring blood. Vadam's shields prevented the majority of the damage he could have been dealt, but his head and nose were now bleeding.

Vadam was barely able to turn before a clawed hand smashed him back into the wall. His shields broke and his neck was pressed on as Bolas pinned him. Bolas' deadly touch began tearing at his mind and Vadam had to combat it by supplying a steady stream of Blue to repair what was broken.

Along with that, he was struggling to breath, his head was becoming fuzzy because of the blood loss and Bolas was speaking "Why do you fight," on the last word he pushed Vadam further into the wall before pulling back slightly.

His airway had been completely cut off by the shove and he had panicked. His panic caused his stream of Blue to cut off and Vadam made a choking howl as Bolas' touch tore at his mind.

Bolas released him and Vadam fell, coughing, gasping and crying to the ground.

"You are weak Vadam. But you could be strong. You fight me. Despite having no hope. Why. Do. You. FIGHT!?"  
He slammed Vadam back against the wall before releasing him again.

"You killed Nox," Vadam's voice was naught but a breath but Bolas caught it anyway "I remember all I end. I do not know this Nox," He growled to Vadam's fallen form "He was made from a piece of me… and a piece of you. You killed him when you attacked me with that spell when I left Earth".

Bolas drew back before slamming his palm down onto Vadam's head. His magic tore at Vadam's mind as he searched his memory.

Bolas snorted as he found what Vadam spoke and dropped him again "You fight for revenge… revenge you know you can never get".

Bolas almost picked Vadam up gently and lifted him by the torso, his touch wasn't affecting him now.

"Run"

"What?"

"Run," Whispered Bolas "This is your only chance. Run and live. Leave Earth to me and you will survive".

Vadam had no idea why Bolas was offering him such a deal but he closed his eyes and readied his mana _"I've got to try,"_ Tears had streaked his face as he surrendered "Yes, run. But you will run with the knowledge that you abandoned this world to me. Abandoned your revenge to live. Abandoned those two friends to me. And they will know in their final moments of agony that you abandoned them to live. Abandoned them to die in pain. Abandoned them to-"

Bolas spoke these biting words knowing two outcomes. Vadam would flee, but regret would break him like magic never could. Or that Vadam would stay and would be broken in the battle.

Vadam chose option three.

"NO!"

A scream burst from Vadam's ragged throat and Bolas was blown back with a spell of sheer will. He collided with the opposite wall but Vadam had lost reason and adopted anger and will.

Vadam cast a Death Wind so excruciating that even Bolas screamed in agony as Vadam spent his own life force to remove Bolas'.

Vadam cast a Lustrous Purge powerful enough to blow Bolas through Hogwarts' enchanted walls and send him through three levels of Hogwarts.

Vadam cast a Cyclonic Rift through sheer will and Bolas' wings were torn and his body was smashed around the castle as a hurricane within Hogwarts battered him from all sides.

Vadam had wounded Bolas but as righteous anger faded, a simple will to survive replaced it. Bolas recovered from the beat down with a fearsome growl and Vadam ran.

He could barely process what was happening but as he ran it seemed as if Hogwarts herself was helping him. Vadam ran, jumped, skidded and teleported to avoid Bolas' fearsome spells.

But as he did so secret passageways opened up, chandeliers dropped and objects rained from above to smash against and slow Bolas down.

Vadam entered the central stairway and each staircase immediately righted to allow him to run up them. As Bolas shifted to his smallest size to enter through the door the castle turned its forces against him in one point.

Vadam heard sounds that weren't sounds and words that weren't spoken as Hogwarts attacked Bolas. Several staircases dropped to smash against Bolas' smaller form and as the Elder Dragon rose to a larger size the staircases moved with frightful speed to smash into his skull and pin him to the walls.

Vadam ran and ran until he took a random turn and ran along a large passageway filled with oddly, stationary suits of armour and statues.

As Bolas clawed his way into Vadam's pathway they no longer were stationary.

A chandelier dropped and its sharp shards of glass crashed against Bolas' bloodied from, the wax catching fire and burning Bolas' wounds. As one, all of the statues and suits of armour converged on Bolas' form.

They couldn't do much damage to his golden scales but the sheer volume slowed the mighty dragon down enough for Vadam to duck out of sight and teleport up a level.

Vadam's breath was coming out in horse gasps as he stumbled to a stop. Breathing as if he had a chest infection, Vadam couldn't help but stop for a moment to try and breathe "Oh," he coughed hard, and blood along with phlegm came spewing out.

"Dooliddle doo. Heya Vadam!" Vadam looked up to see a small man dressed in very loud clothes floating above him upside down "Peeves!" Peeves righted himself and waved "So you look terrible. Having fun against the oldy goldy?"

Vadam shook his head "No!" Peeves gave a raucous laugh, as if Vadam had said an incredibly dirty joke "Oh," he wiped an imaginary tear out of his eye "So why isn't Nox helping?" Vadam stared at the poltergeist before muttering "Bolas killed him".

Peeves froze.

"What?"

Vadam was feeling a twinge of hope as his breath returned to him "Yes. Just before I left Earth Bolas struck him down with a spell that ATE HIM ALIVE!" Peeves was still frozen in shock but he answered "I felt a huge impulse to come and help you a few minutes ago. This is why," Vadam nodded to Peeves.

"Do-" Vadam was cut off by the floor exploding and Bolas rose, ash, dust and metal running off his form as an ugly snarl was etched on his face "DO IT!" Peeves set out with a literal bang. A sound that distracted Bolas for a short moment.

Peeves launched himself at Bolas' face as Vadam tapped into some more life energy to fuel a "VINDICATE!" The spell of sheer destruction struck Bolas' bloodied torso and he was blown back.

Bolas skidded to a stop at the end of the passageway and Peeves destroyed the lock on the chandelier above him. Peeves added some push to the glittering mass and Bolas was temporarily blinded as glass exploded on his face.

Peeves zoomed to Vadam "Quick, the castle just told me to tell you to get to the second floors abandoned girls bathroom," Vadam didn't have time, energy or the ability to attempt to reason with the insane request from a poltergeist formed out of a thousand years of teenagers teenageness, to go to an abandoned bathroom in a magical castle that was the setting point for two different wars happening at the same time.

Vadam teleported down just as Bolas swatted Peeves through a wall and he appeared before teleporting down another level.

He somehow knew that this was the second floor and Vadam went off running his staggering run until he found a door that said

Girls Bathroom.

Out of order.

He teleported within and found himself in a very dilapidated bathroom.

"Who's there?"

A girl's voice reached his ears just as Vadam was returning to his senses and he looked to the left of a great circular sink basin to see a ghostly figure he recognised.

"Myrtle!" she shook her head "I'm Myrtle, you're Vadam".

Vadam almost wanted to shout of the ridiculousness of her words at the current time but withheld himself "Peeves told me to come here because the castle told him to," Vadam was sure he was saying something crazy but Myrtle didn't seem to think so.

"Yes the most horrible thing has been planted in the school and I couldn't tell anyone because no one can get into the Chamber of Secrets except Harry, and he's on the run".

She sounded like she was going to cry but Vadam didn't care "Planted? What and who did it? Was it a golden dragon?"

Myrtle raised her hand to shush Vadam "I don't know what it was exactly but it hurts the school. And yes it was a dragon. How did you know?"

Vadam was going to explain when the wall exploded. Myrtle shrieked and hid whilst Vadam was knocked back. He was lightly covered in rubble but was mostly unharmed by a lucky shield he threw up.

Bolas emerged from the wide hole and walked into the bathroom "To fall here? In a bathroom. I pity you Vadam," Bolas' clawed hand glowed red and he shot a bolt of power at Vadam.

Vadam felt a flash of anger at Bolas' words and again made a surprise move. He didn't throw up a shield or teleport like any rational person would. Vadam matched the spell with a push of force from all the colours at his disposal.

Bolas' spell ricocheted and careened towards the round sink basin, utterly destroying it.

Myrtle poked her head out of her hiding place and cried "THERE! VADAM IT'S IN THERE!" Vadam immediately ran for the hole that had been revealed and Bolas made a strangled roaring sound and Vadam was pulled back.

Myrtle gasped and flew off, whilst Vadam grabbled with the magical leash Bolas had caught him in. "No. Get. OFF!" He broke the chain and teleported.

Bolas grabbed him again as he appeared in a pipe and he was pulled struggling back out "YOU CANNOT WIN!" Vadam wasn't sure if this was a command or a plea but he didn't have time to think on it as the invisible leash began choking him.

Vadam's mind was going blurry and he almost collapsed when he suddenly got a second wind. He broke the chain only to realise ghosts were surrounding him, fuelling him "Go! We can distract it!"

Vadam wasn't certain which ghost, or if them all, cried that, but he took its advice and took another running leap for the pipe.

Bolas was roaring and roaring but the ghosts were somehow shielding Vadam from his pull and down he slid, down into the chamber of secrets.

Vadam landed harshly, he rolled out of the slide and into a pile of bones. They stabbed into his exposed skin and crunched as Vadam pulled himself up. He spared a glance to the pipe he had arrived from and could still hear roaring from Bolas.

He thanked the ghosts and Hogwarts itself for getting him this far and went off running. He was deeper in the castle than he had ever been and mana ran freely down here. He found a giant skin of a snake and cursed as he feared the next foe he would have to fight.

Vadam teleported past a door and found himself in the widest chamber he had ever stepped foot in. The area was dark but still easily visible to his human eyes. As Vadam walked he realised that he couldn't even see the roof of the chamber. As he walked he noticed giant stone snake heads, each with its fangs bared. They were as big as a full-sized Bolas' chest.

But the three eye catchers of the chamber were at the end.

A great booming sound came from above as the entire chamber shook. Vadam was certain that Bolas was blasting his way through the castle to get to him.

As Vadam stared ahead, he saw a massive, bearded statue standing in a basin of water, right up to its head.

At the edge of the water laid a gigantic skeleton of a snake, it wasn't moving and Vadam couldn't sense any necromancy on it.

But what truly caught his attention was the great, grey monolith that jutted greater than the stature could ever.

A Manalith!

Vadam suddenly understood why Bolas was able to simply bat him around all this time, acting as if his spells weren't wearing on him at all. With this Manalith he wasn't acting.

Still Vadam wasn't sure how Bolas could have created another Manalith, and was also confused as to why it was grey.

He prepared a spell to destroy it when the ceiling exploded.

Vadam was forced to turn his mana to a shield instead of a sword to deflect the rain of rubble that descended.

He wasn't concerned about the rubble though, what really bothered him was the growing, golden dragon that was descending with it.

Bolas grew to his natural size just as he landed, in-between Vadam and the Manalith _"Typical for him to be all showy,"_ Vadam couldn't help but think as Bolas leered down at him.

"I am impressed Vadam," Bolas began, his voice as soft and dangerous as ever "to reach here. Reach the final and greatest of all the Manalith's," Bolas paused before chuckling "Did you ever learn of Ugin during your studies under me?"

Vadam shook his head and Bolas sighed "No surprise really. I killed him. But Ugin devised a way to use mana that transcended colours. The colourless mana of the Blind Eternities," Vadam took a step back and gasped in horror "That's possible?" Bolas affirmed and bragged "But whereas Ugin's magic was about creation. Mine is about fuelling. With this colourless Manalith embedded into Earth itself, I can fuel next to any spell without using an ounce from my own mana stores. With it I am unbeatable".

To prove it Bolas ran one of his clawed hands over his body and his wounds healed wherever he touched "It is impressive of you to get this far, but you have also lost any hope for survival".

Bolas rose his arms as Vadam cast a spell. One so predictable that Bolas would never suspect it.

He reanimated the basilisk.

With a sudden lurch and twist the basilisk skeleton launched itself at Bolas' turned back, imbedding its deadly fangs through even Bolas' scales.

Bolas made a truly awful screeching sound and the basilisk's skeleton was completely disintegrated, but its venom was already in his bloodstream and no phoenix would cry for him.

Not that Vadam knew the truth of his move.

Bolas made a roar so loud Vadam was unable to hear afterwards and even the Manalith shuddered as Bolas cast his spell.

A zero percentage spell. One so ancient and terrible that Vadam would have no hope to avoid it. No hope to deflect it. No hope to even abandon the world itself to avoid it.

In a strange moment of clarity Vadam thought about the diadem that he hadn't been able to get to Harry and gave a split moment decision. He wasn't sure if the diadem needed to be in one piece or destroyed but Vadam was going for the former.

Quicker than an eye blink Vadam pulled the Diadem of Ravenclaw out of his pocket Plane and held it in front of him, to destroy it along with himself.

Bolas cast his spell and a jet of pure colourless magic struck Vadam with the speed of a lightning bolt. Or at least it struck the object held in front of him.

Vadam and Bolas gasped as the Horcrux in his hand absorbed the spell. His arms was vibrating so violently, he was certain his bones would splinter.

The ultimate dark magic object built from core magic and a piece of someone's very soul met an anti-life beam built from the Blind Eternities.

Vadam had no idea how it was happening but just as Bolas' spell faded the diadem he held shattered. From it came a shrieking, twisting smoky figure that dissipated quickly.

There was a moment of silence before Bolas screamed "HOW!? HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO SURVICE? WHAT FORCES CONSPIRE AGAINST ME?"

Vadam had no answer but someone else did.

"US!"

Vadam looked up to see a cloud of ghosts descending on them, on him. Vadam was covered with the chilling cold of the ghosts but felt better than he had the entire battle.

"The imprints of the dead!"

Chorused the ghosts.

"Hogwarts Herself!"

This time there was a voice but it seemed to come from the ghosts, from the statue and from the walls.

"And all you have harmed!"

Memories themselves spoke and both Vadam and Bolas heard them.

Vadam stared at the Elder Dragon who had created and killed Nox "The Blind Eternities are the ever churning, swirling souls of all who die," Bolas stared down at Vadam with horror and almost fear on his face "How could you know that?" Vadam smirked.

"Because my own soul told me that, after Erebos returned it to me. I don't quite have memories but the part of my soul that thinks," Vadam rose a finger to his head "crossed the Blind Eternities and I remember it in a way that my mind doesn't store".

Bolas growled at him and began to rise a claw "Your little display is over," Vadam felt a tug but was unable to stop Bolas from shattering the Blue powerstone "No!" Vadam stumbled forward but Bolas backhanded the air, which blasted Vadam through the ghosts.

"Do you think your little display scares me?" Now the ghosts looked fearful and Vadam cursed under his breath as he realised it was a scare tactic they had attempted.

"Yes a scare tactic. Against ME!" The ghosts fled as Bolas sent a wave capable of destroying even them. Vadam was forced to teleport closer to Bolas, appear where the wave had already crossed.

Vadam appeared but Bolas slammed him with a spell and Vadam was grounded again for that battle. This time as Vadam was slammed against the ground he only let out a quiet moan of pain, a moan that turned into a scream when Bolas grabbed him and squeezed his entire body in his giant fist.

Bolas then slammed Vadam against the ground and finally Vadam didn't get up.

He was still conscious, although he wondered how, but he couldn't move. Bolas' grip had squeezed the fight out of him.

Vadam curled up into a ball as Bolas laughed "And so here lies the champion," Vadam wheezed a sob, as pain he had ignored the entire time became impossible to ignore "You killed Nox," Vadam wept into his arms as he lay huddled on the ground, bloodied and beaten.

Bolas grabbed the scruff of his torn shirt and lifted him up to his face "And you're next," Bolas threw Vadam like a cricket ball and he slammed into the ground before bouncing and rolling for dozens of meters "I gave you a chance," Bolas roared as he moved closer, "I gave mercy," he paused thirty meters from Vadam, "But you decided to fight".

He sneered down at Vadams' huddled form "Will you tell me why, or shall you die in torture as I tear the reason from your mind?"

Vadam was coughing his cries as he tried to stop, to simply tell Bolas _"I fought because I wanted revenge,"_ He tried to say it but his lips have been torn into and he couldn't speak anything but sobs _"To avenge Nox,"_ he tried to answer again but he still couldn't.

" _To remove you from the Multiverse"_

" _To repent for all the evils I have done because of you"_

" _To show you that I am greater as a person of good and right"_

" _To defend the Multiverse from those like you"_

" _To protect the ones I love"_

" _To protect my friends,"_ Vadam's head uncurled.

" _To protect Neville and Luna,"_ Vadam's arms shifted.

" _To protect Neville and Luna,"_ Vadam's legs straightened.

" _To protect Neville and Luna,"_ Vadam's hands palmed the ground.

" _To protect Neville and Luna,"_ Vadam began pushing himself up.

" _To protect Neville and Luna,"_ Vadam stood.

" _To protect Neville and Luna,"_ He rose his head to stare Bolas in the face.

"TO PROTECT NEVILLE AND LUNA!"

Vadam forced every ounce of mana he had in his body to light a spark _"I fight for all those things,"_ "I fight for them but I fight for one other person too," Bolas looked gobsmacked that Vadam suddenly had all this fight in him again.

" _A spell that I learnt on Theros, to prove myself better than Elspeth but my form would never allow such a spell to be cast,"_ Vadam focused an area-of-effect spell into a solid form.

"FATED RETRIBUTION!" Vadam's hands had been clasped to his chest but now he sent them out together "FOR NOX!" From his hands came a beam. Not a beam of perfect pure white light but one that was not perfect, one that shone with an odd bluish grey, the same colour as his eyes.

Bolas twisted out of the way of the spell but he wasn't fast enough and the spell clipped his side, burning straight through it.

But Bolas was not his target.

Vadam's most powerful spell struck the Manalith, who absorbed the entire spell.

There was a beat where time seemed to slow down to a near standstill. The final of the beam was absorbed into the Manalith as Bolas seemed to fall, so very slowly, the right side of his torso being burnt open.

For a single moment nothing happened.

Then the Manalith exploded.

Hogwarts itself shook as a shockwave and an earthquake happened at the same time. Vadam was thrown out of the chamber and into the pipe as the shockwave struck Bolas.

His twist had led his torn-open side facing the shockwave and a shockwave with the strength of a minor earthquake struck that exposed spot, causing the wound to explode and nearly tearing Bolas in two.

The force from the shockwave sent Bolas' body straight into one of the snake head just as the closer ones were blown away. The massive fangs slammed straight through Bolas as he slammed into it and the force tore out his chest as it sent him flying into a wall.

Hogwarts weathered the shockwave and for a single moment the entire battlefield was silent.

Vadam had almost slid all the way up and out of the pipe by the time he stopped and then slid all the way back down.

He landed in a heap and simply laid in the bones for a short while. He found the strength to move and somehow forced himself to his feet.

Vadam slowly walked out of the landing path, past the snake skin and back into the chamber of secrets. He numbly wondered how the door had opened and the sheer unlikelihood of him making it through that path unharmed _"Must have been the castle… thanks Hogwarts,"_ Vadam felt a little better for figuring that out as he walked into sight of Bolas.

The dragon's blood had been splattered on the ground and on three separate, and distant, pieces of wall.

Vadam walked slowly towards Bolas' fallen form, somehow he was still breathing.

"Heh… heh," Vadam wasn't sure if Bolas was laughing or just dying, somehow he didn't feel accomplished but figured that would kick in once the shock passed.

Elation was beginning to bubble up in his chest when Bolas spoke "You haven't won," Vadam moved back as fast as he could, which was more of a sloping stagger, as the Elder Dragon chuckled.

"You are dying from successive injuries that would kill a god… and you are no god, not anymore," Bolas' chuckles didn't cease and Vadam was considering punching him in the eye when he spoke "I am no fool… you are a powerful foe… an intelligent foe… so very similar to me".

Vadam was gazing at the dying Planeswalker as he spoke "I wanted to stay and plan… finding you was simply too good to pass up… but I had more important events to observe… so I left this here".

Vadam was getting a very bad feeling replace the bubbling victory and asked "What are you… saying?"

Bolas chuckled "You know exactly… what I am saying… that is why… you hesitated," Vadam shook his head he didn't want to believe it "SAY IT!"

Bolas made a chuckling/choking sound "This is a mere effigy. A barely sentient shadow to be given a task… I am not Nicol Bolas… and I am nothing to the true forms power". Vadam took several steps back "No," Bolas made one last laugh "Yes," before the effigy crumbled, Black, Blue and Red seeped out as it disappeared and Vadam was left looked at nothing.

* * *

Away from the chamber, above ground stood many wizards, single Death Eaters were laughing as their spells were overpowering several other spells at once as knurled monsters tore at the light side. Suddenly a great shudder went through the battlefield and the creatures simply crumbled to dust.

The Death Eaters single spells were suddenly overpowered by the other wizards as the power the Golden Dragon had bestowed on them suddenly faded.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Screeched Bellatrix Lestrange into the face of a man with a metal arm "It seems that our lord has lost," Bellatrix reeled back as if she had been struck "The Dark Lord?" Tezzeret chuckled "No you foolish witch. Lord Nicol Bolas, he has failed".

Ramaz and Tezzeret exchanged a look "It seems we have no further obligation to stay," Bellatrix raised her wand but it was too late. The Planeswalkers had Planeswalked.

* * *

Vadam collapsed.

" _So I didn't win,"_ He placed his hands over his eyes and began to cry.

"Vadam?"

He didn't know how long he was crying when that voice interrupted him "Woah blimy!" A boy's voice reached his ears as a feminine one said "Oh my god, Vadam!"

He moved his head as Ron and Hermione came running up to him "What? What?" He heard their questions and swallowed his tears as he remembered that he still defended his friends "I've stopped Bolas," they both cheered and picked him up.

Vadam heard them talking but couldn't really hear any of their questions. Finally one did get through "Where's the basilisk?" Vadam sheepishly looked at Ron who was looking concerned "I animated it against Bolas. He completely destroyed it," They looked deeply horrified "So… no fangs?" Vadam shook his head "Why?"

Hermione explained the Horcrux situation and asked if Vadam had gotten the diadem to Harry "No but Bolas destroyed it," They were relieved that, that one was gone but they held a goblet that was apparently almost indestructible.

"Wait… so it's like the diadem?" They nodded and Vadam opened his pocket Plane to pull the remaining shard of his broken sword out "When I touched it with this it was hurt, so maybe…" They exchanged a look and Ron took the shard before pausing and handing it to Hermione "You do it," Hermione took the shard in a shaking hand and stared down at the goblet for a moment before taking a deep breath and stabbing the shard down.

Her hand was cut as the goblet screamed and Hermione forced the shard down harder and it broke. A shadowy screeching figure tore from the cup but quickly disappeared.

"It worked!" Ron and Hermione whooped and Vadam smiled, he understood why it had survived the fake Bolas' spell earlier.

He had sat down after passing Ron the shard and stared up at the two teenagers. They turned to leave but realised Vadam wasn't following "Vadam?" Hermione asked but he had bowed his head "I… can't stand," Vadam expected mocking but instead got a sigh and a "Boys," the two came back and pulled Vadam to his feet before slinging his arms over their shoulders and helped him walk out of the chamber of secrets.

After they managed to get him to the girls bathroom Vadam spoke "Just… leave me here," They turned to protest but he lifted his arms off them "I'm not dying," the objections died in their throats as Vadam looked to the massive hole that Bolas had formed in order to be dramatic "Just go on, I'm slowing you down and I can manage myself".

The duo nodded and ran off, leaving Vadam to watch them before walking over to one of the lavatories. It seemed to take an age to walk the few meters. Vadam opened the door and closed it behind him before leaning down onto one of the only walls left in the room. Vadam slowly turned and sat down just to lessen the fall after he fainted.

 **######**

Vadam awoke in pain to a soft voice "Are you alive?" Vadam was remarkably still sitting and slowly moved his head to peer at a bespectacled ghost "Yes," he groaned it almost like he was disappointed. He wasn't, but he was in a lot of pain all over his body.

Vadam slowly made his way out of the lavatory and walked to the space that was once a wall, Myrtle hovered by him and Vadam remembered her assistance "Thankyou Myrtle," She beamed "It's nothing… is it true that, that dragon killed Nox?" Vadam nodded sadly and she made a choked sound before flying off, crying.

Vadam was somewhat happy that she liked Nox enough to cry but almost missed her presence, her wails grew in volume so Vadam rethought that thought.

He made his way through the ruined Hogwarts, Bolas had at least damaged every part he came through if not totalling it. He stepped through a pile of rubble that probably was covered in his blood as he walked.

He wasn't entirely sure where he was when he sensed something. He turned to see nothing and almost brushed it off when he felt it again.

"Reveal yourself," Vadam barely croaked out and didn't sound very threatening. Harry still removed his invisibility cloak "You're alive!" Vadam shot Harry a smile, which probably looked terrifying since he was covered in blood "Did you doubt me?" Harry shook his head "No, no of course not… just the things you had told us about Bolas," Vadam nodded "He killed Nox," He didn't know if Harry knew or not but due to Harry's gasp he clearly didn't "I'm so sorry".

Vadam shook his head "It happened just as I was fleeing Earth…" Vadam didn't speak his next thought, it wasn't something good.

Harry sighed and looked ahead, Vadam could see some sort of finality in his gaze "Where are you going?" Harry gave Vadam a tired look "Just a walk… the battle will begin again soon and I just had to get away from all…" he gestured behind him and Vadam could see the sheer fakeness of his motions.

"Well enjoy your walk, is the hospital that way," Vadam pointed the way Harry went and Harry knew that Vadam was humouring him.

"Yeah it's that way… say hi to… Neville and Luna and Ginny for me," Vadam nodded and sighed in relief but he also heard the silent plea "I'll thank Ron and Hermione too for helping me," Harry nodded.

They stood for another moment, one who had defeated his Dark Lord and one going to sacrifice himself to his Dark Lord "Oh! If you see a giant snake around the place, like a viper or something. Kill it," Vadam nodded "Horcrux?" Harry actually gave a start at that "How did… yeah," Vadam nodded "Alright… bye Harry".

"By Vadam"

The two nodded to each other and they parted ways.

 **I'll end it there… Joking!**

Vadam eventually made it to where the injured and dead had been brought. Vadam stepped into the makeshift room and cast a sad glance to the Weasley family. He could see one of them lying dead on the floor as the family wept above him.

He walked until he saw a worried looking Luna patching Neville up "hey," Vadam croaked and they looked up "You are alive," The two ran at him and Vadam braced himself for an agonizing tackle. They had seen him flinch and instead of glomping him in a hug, Neville and Luna stepped around him and gave him a gentle embrace around his front and back.

Vadam laid his right arm around Neville at his front and curled his other arm around Luna who was behind him. They awkwardly walked to where Neville and Luna had been seated before and sat him down.

Luna immediately began patching him up, cleaning all his blood, fixing his nose, repairing his clothes and altogether making him look like one of the living again.

Vadam slipped into sleep again and slept through the remainder of the Battle of Hogwarts, he had earned his rest.

* * *

… **Biggest chapter I have ever written. 13,741 words and 7727 words was just the fight. That is the size of a large chapter on its own.**

 **I hope that this was worth all the effort I put into it. The final chapter of Retribution will come very soon as it will only be short, especially compared to this.**

 **And onto my final piece, originally the chapter, and story, was going to be a little differently with Bolas actually being Bolas. More or less what was going to happen was after the final Manalith exploded in all the dramatics Vadam was going to give Bolas an ultimatum. Leave and both of them live or stay and both of them die. Bolas was going to take the former and Vadam was going to use his severed tail to lock him out of the Plane. I decided that Bolas was simply too awesome and powerful for Vadam to defeat and the Plane locking thing felt weak so I simply thought "What else could work?" And I remembered the effigy from the test of metal. It may now be a mostly non-cannon book but there were still things that still could have happened elsewhere.**


	5. Epilogue

**And so here we are… the epilogue of Vadam's Retribution and the end of the Vadam in Harry Potter quartet. This story didn't have a prologue because it itself is really the epilogue to Cataclysm, which didn't have an epilogue.**

 **It has been an adventure so very fun, I have built Vadam up, given him friends and loved ones, and now I'm going to finalise the cataclysm by taking what little he still has from him.**

 **It's been a fun ride.**

 ***Despite Vadam chronologically being in his thirties his psyche is still very much a teenager***

* * *

The Battle of Hogwarts was a success.

Vadam finally awoke to the sounds of a celebrating Peeves "We did it! We bashed them. Wee Potters the one. And Voldie's gone moldy so let's have FUN!"

He had been having the most wonderful dream about Nox when the words woke him. His heart skipped a beat when he thought it was Nox and crushing realisation that it was Peeves, made Vadam want to sink back into sleep.

Few people were in the hospital when he awoke and he was a little sad that Neville and Luna weren't with him. A stab of panic forced him to his feet as he noticed all the white sheets around him.

He could feel the lack of life in the people around him, he couldn't bear the thought of one of them being Neville or Luna so he left the room.

He quickly found where the celebration was. Following the sounds of cheering, he found himself in the damaged Great Hall and in front of his eyes were people sitting everywhere.

The room was more packed then he had ever seen it. He smiled lightly as he saw people from all the houses sitting on all different tables. Even a few at the head table. Peeves was bouncing around the enchanted ceiling that seemed to be joining in on the festivities.

Vadam silently thanked Hogwarts again for its help against the fake Bolas _"Fake Bolas…"_ Vadam's smile faded.

He could see Harry, Ron, Hermione and others he recognised. He was impressed on Harry's survival but he wasn't the one he was searching for. Vadam saw a battered, bruised, bloodied and burnt Neville laughing alongside Draco Malfoy. Draco and his parents were looking very uncomfortable but even a little hopeful.

Vadam was surprised at the feeling of relief at Draco's state of being. He was almost tearing up at Neville's state but he still couldn't find _"LUNA!"_ Vadam spotted her sitting in the shadow of Neville just smiling up at him.

Vadam's light smile twitched alongside his lips as he turned around. His friends were both okay and he knew what had to be done.

" _Bolas knows Earth now…"_ Vadam had left the Great Hall before either of his friends turned to the door _"I failed to stop him…"_ Vadam reached a ruined set of stairs and began to carefully navigate his way down them _"Bolas has other things to watch but how long will it take for him to realise his effigy failed?"_ Vadam reached the end and began walking towards his old favourite place _"He will come for me. He will come for them…"_ He reached the spot where their tree once stood. He looked out to the lake, his face set in a stony expression.

" _Nothing is more important than protecting them…"_ Vadam raised his hands and pointed them at the lake _"Earth has survived for over a thousand years with their most unique forms of magic and technology…"_ Vadam took a deep breath as he drew White, Blue and Black mana out of every possible source.

" _It will hurt… it will hurt so much…"_ Vadam began whispering incantation under his breath _"More Planeswalkers… good and evil will find Earth,"_ Vadam's whispers began to rise in volume _"Earth doesn't deserve the woes of Planeswalkers…"_ Vadam was speaking loudly now as White began to wrap around the lake _"Planes can only be seen by the mana that they give off… Earth wasn't able to be seen until I unlocked it…"_

Vadam's words began shouts as he buried the surging Blue mana of the lake underneath a powerful containment spell. Vadam thanked his status as a Planeswalker as he spoke, before cursing it.

With a final shout Vadam's mana and core magics were completed and the Blue mana he had taken many months to unlock sunk back into the land.

Vadam lowered his arms with a sigh, he couldn't draw in any Blue mana he had already spent. Satisfied with his work Vadam walked to the Forest.

 **######**

"We have to find him!"

Neville and Luna were racing through Hogwarts. They had returned to the hospital to find empty space where Vadam had been sleeping. They pushed their way through the Great Hall shouting for Vadam and when he failed to materialise, they started asking people.

Miraculously Draco spoke up "I saw him come to the door for a minute before leaving," Neville and Luna rushed out of the Great Hall. Neither wanted to consider the idea that Vadam may have left again.

The next place they searched was the lake.

"He's not here," Neville went to run off but Luna caught his arm, a look of dawning horror was emerging on her face "I can't feel it!" Neville had paused in confusion "What?" Luna pointed to the lake "The Blue mana… it's in their but I can't draw it in, I can barely even sense it… it's like… it's like it has sunk back into the land".

Neville and Luna searched through Hogwarts, finding only signs speaking of Vadam's activities in the area. The forests now yielded no mana, nor did the damaged fields of Hogwarts.

"Have you found him?"

Neville and Luna were preparing to journey into the dungeons when a soft voice caught them. Turning to find Draco Malfoy standing there "Does it look like we have?" Snapped Neville and Draco nearly flinched. He held it in and nodded "Can I help look?" There was a pause but Neville and Luna nodded.

The trio descended into the dungeons but it wasn't long before Draco stopped with a hiss "The Black mana… it's gone," Neville and Luna could only share a horrified look "The Lake, the Forest and the Quidditch pitch all have had their mana sealed away…"

Luna answered to Draco's dawning horror "But why?" Neither could speak what they feared so as a trio they ran for the final place they thought Vadam may be.

 **######**

Vadam lowered his arms with a groan as he felt his magic begin its work. He wasn't proficient in containment magic but a Planeswalker has the inborn ability to learn easily. Vadam knew that his junior magic would hold forever and would need reinforcement with the wizard's core magic.

He was just about to turn back to Hogwarts when he was tackled.

Vadam landed in a heap as three people slammed into him. He let out a quiet moan of agony as three people yelled at once "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" "GOT YOU!" "PLEASE DON'T!"

They stood and pulled him to his feet. Vadam found three sets of hand on both of his hands, looking down slightly he stared into the angry faces of Neville, Luna and Draco.

Vadam knew that this was a moment for something profound, meaningful and emotional "Huh?" Vadam almost laughed at the thought of what Nox would say to such a word after such a thought.

Then that thought made him feel sad.

The trio were still shouting and Vadam was forced to raise his hand "I'm the teacher so this feels wrong," That shut them up. Vadam lowered his arm and rubbed his right ear "How did you find me?" And then they were shouting again.

"SHUT IT!"

That shut them up.

"Vadam what… why are you sealing up the mana?" Vadam hesitated but Luna's tearful eyes drew it out of him.

"I'm leaving".

And chaos again.

This time Vadam allowed them to shout, it was kind of nice seeing their emotions. Though Draco was still a little confusing.

"LOOK!" Vadam shut them up a third time.

"Look. It wasn't the true Bolas that I destroyed, it was a mere effigy and he still is out there," His friends expressions turned to ones of worry "with him still out there and Earth still in sight he can always come back. I'm sealing up the mana and leaving to protect you".

They looked stunned and Vadam took a step back "I'm sorry," Luna shook her head "Were you going to leave without saying goodbye first?" Vadam shook his head "No, no not this time".

Vadam drew her into a hug as tears began to surface in his eyes, he was rather dehydrated so teary eyes was the most he could manage.

Neville joined the hug next.

Draco stood off to the side awkwardly until the trio broke apart, all three of them were sniffling slightly.

"I can't stay for much longer. The longer I stay the more dangerous it is," Neville and Luna drew him back into the hug for another minute until Vadam broke out of it "I have sealed up the five major breaks but there are still plenty more and you will need to find and seal them up.

Neville and Luna nodded and sniffled a bit more. Vadam turned to Draco, his face had set back into a stony visage. "Why did you come?" Draco flinched but Luna grabbed Vadam's arm "He was worried about you," Vadam stared at the wizard for a full minute before nodding slowly and stepping forward.

"I'm sorry for everything," Vadam nodded at Draco's words "Did I ever tell you that I apologise but I never say sorry," The three of them shook their heads, they had seen him say sorry to Nazo though "That's because I see I'm sorry as something only between people who actually care for another and I have tried to avoid that for many years," Neville and Luna stood a little straighter, remembering that Vadam had said those two words only a few minutes ago "I'm sorry Draco".

Draco looked up sharply "I'm sorry for being too stubborn to accept your apologies," Draco nodded with a blooming smile and Vadam pulled him into a short hug.

Their smiles faded as the situation faded back in "I'm sorry I only said that now but I… I do have to go now," Draco stifled a sob as Vadam stepped back from them.

He walked a few meters away before stopping "Tell Harry and Hermione and Ron and the others that I… just apologise for me," They nodded and Vadam took a deep breath, he wasn't facing them and they couldn't see the tears rolling down his cheeks "Make sure all the mana pools are closed… Goodbye".

Vadam used his little remaining mana to Planeswalk from Earth, leaving the best friends he had made and the greatest life he had led.

* * *

 **And so it ends… I actually do feel a little bad now.**

 **So a list on what Vadam's lost in the end of Cataclysm and this story alone.**

 **In order it is,**

 **1) His immortality.**

 **2) Daxos and Elspeth**

 **3) Nox, just… Nox.**

 **4) His revenge.**

 **5) And finally the life he has built for himself on Earth, taking Neville, Luna and Draco with it…**

 **Fun fact I actually do like Vadam. He's my favourite character next to Nox…**


End file.
